Oathbound

by ChronicleStone

Chapter 10: Traitor!

Canterlot Palace
April 27, 11:42 AM

Sky stood patiently outside the doors to the throne room. He was adorned only by his beloved blue shoulder wrap (which was quickly becoming his trademark among the royal guards), along with the two brooches Lily had given him. Standing on either side of the massive closed doors were two royal guards that he knew well: Redeye, the jittery recruit that had given him Zecora’s letter, and Night Crest, one of the lights Sky had encountered during his out-of-body experience following his third battle with the Chimera.

Sky turned a compassionate gaze to Redeye. “You seem better today,” he commented. “Less jumpy.”

“Thank you, sir,” the unicorn replied.

“Been laying off the coffee?”

Redeye managed a smile. “Smaller mugs.”

Sky snorted. “Ah, well…that’ll do it, too.” He turned to Night Crest on his left. “And how are you, Crusty?” he asked, referencing his friend’s nickname.

“Doing alright. Been working more day shifts now that Luna’s having to take the throne in Celestia’s absence. My sleep schedule’s all thrown off, but I’m managing,” the navy blue pegasus answered.

“Red over there doesn’t have that problem,” Sky said, peeking over at the other guard from under his eyelids. “He’s on a constant caffeine high from all that coffee.”

Redeye didn’t make any physical movement to indicate he had heard the remark, but he offered a comment nonetheless: “I said I was using smaller mugs.”

The pegasi had a good chuckle at the unicorn’s expense when the doors suddenly glowed with a deep blue magic. The sound of creaking hinges echoed down the corridor behind Sky as the doors slowly swung open.

“Princess Luna will see you now,” Night Crest said stoically.

“Thanks for that; I never would have guessed,” Sky quipped as he passed the guards and entered the hall.

He strolled into the room, the sound of his steps muffled as the carpet absorbed the contact of his hooves with the floor. It was just the same as it usually was: brightly lit, with a pair of royal guards on either side of the throne. The only noticeable change was the pony that graced the throne itself: Celestia was still away, continuing her investigation of the attempted heist of the Crystal Heart with Cadance and Shining Armor. In her place, she had left her sister…

“Princess Luna,” Sky said as he reached the foot of the throne and bowed respectfully.

“Sky Streak,” Luna replied, inclining her head in response to his bow. “What brings you to the throne room today?”

Sky quickly shot each of the guards on a look, then returned his eyes to the princess without a word. Her eyes gleamed with comprehension as she nodded. “Guards, please leave us. We have matters to discuss between ourselves. You may join the others outside this throne room until we are done.”

“As you wish, Your Highness,” the guard on Sky’s left answered. Sky stood calmly as they passed him and took what seemed to be hours reaching the doors. Finally, a familiar creaking was followed by a solid thud, and he finally unlocked his lips.

“Princess Luna, how are you? I’ve been meaning to come see you, but ever since the mission, I’ve been busy. You know, with Celestia leaving and the sudden increase in security and all…”

“I doubt you truly need an answer to that,” Luna replied. Her face was proud and regal, but behind her eyes, Sky could see the look of a pony tormented with thoughts of regret. “Little has changed. Still the tragedy of my past haunts my steps. How can I move on?”

Sky shook his head, as his mind and heart defiantly searched for the right thing to say. “I believe that Storm Emblem would want you to move on.”

Luna’s eyes opened wide, but she concealed any emotion behind a fresh mask of stoicism. But Sky wasn’t done. “Celestia wants you to move on. So do I. And I think all of Equestria wants you to move on. They have a chance to live under the benevolent rule of both of the alicorn princesses. That’s an opportunity that nopony has had for one thousand years. If I may be so bold,” he continued, confidence building with each word, “I don’t think you should withhold that from them.”

The mask of solemnity over Luna’s face finally cracked and broke apart. The tears welled up in the princess’ eyes, and she slumped in her seat, burying her face in her hooves, sobbing uncontrollably.

Sky found himself ascending the stairs, quite without having intended to. But instead of catching himself, he proceeded until he was directly before the throne, merely a foot from Luna’s face. Her tears pooled at his hooves. “Princess,” he said softly, “Equestria needs you.”

Luna raised her eyes from her hooves, and in an instant, their eyes met and locked. But something was different. As Sky looked on, he noticed that Luna looked…younger. Much younger. Hundreds of years, perhaps more. Luna’s hoof stretched out to his face and gently stroked his cheek. Sky drew back, startled, but he said nothing. His voice had been snatched away.

And then, just like that, everything returned to normal. Her hoof withdrew, and she looked much the same as she always had. She rose up again, wiping the tears from her strangely wild eyes. “Sky Streak,” she said abruptly, as though she was surprised to see him. But she slowly seemed to master herself and calm her anxious spirit. “Ah, forgive me,” she said. “I…my mind must have wandered,” she concluded enigmatically.

“Princess?” Sky prodded, still shaken.

“I am alright,” she assured him. “I am sure I’ve mentioned this to you before, but you remind me so much of Storm Emblem, sometimes, I see him instead of you.”

“You’ve said something like that,” Sky said, feeling a bit awkward. The sequence had rattled him, in addition to having left him with one burning question: If she sees me as Storm Emblem, then am I seeing her as he would have seen her?

“They say that a pegasus’ greatest asset is their wings,” he heard Luna say, and to his surprise, she was smiling down at him. “And your wings are certainly a mighty blessing. But your heart is something special, Sky Streak. It sees deeper than your eyes, and it understands more than your senses would tell you. It is as though you have a special ability to connect with those around you and understand them better than perhaps even they themselves do.”

Sky could feel himself blushing. “Oh, well, if that’s the case, then I’ll give Lily credit for that. She’s the sensitive one between the two of us,” he said, rubbing his neck nervously.

Luna’s smile seemed especially bright, perhaps because it had been so long since he had actually seen it. Her depression had concealed it for quite some time, but seeing it again lifted his spirits and brought his own smile, unbidden, to his face. “Then she has rubbed off on you considerably,” Luna replied. “Thank you, Sky Streak. I feel…better, I think.”

“It is my pleasure to be of any service,” Sky said with another bow, simultaneously wishing that he would have said more and wondering if that came out too formally.

“And while I suspect that was part of the reason you came to me, I do not think it was all you came to see me about.”

She thinks I’m perceptive? I swear, she sees right through me. “That’s right, Princess,” he admitted. “Though I think everything I have to say from here on out will be of lesser importance than what we’ve already discussed.”

Luna nodded again, and Sky continued. “I honestly wanted to know if it was your idea or Celestia’s to have a pair of birds keep an eye on me a few days ago while I was out on patrol.”

Luna stared blankly at him for a short moment, when she suddenly began to chuckle softly. Sky’s face contorted into a look of confusion. “Ah, I had forgotten about that!” she giggled. “That was Celestia’s idea, in its entirety. She mentioned that you had noticed when we had sent ponies out to observe you, so she suggested that if we used some of Canterlot’s native wildlife, you might be less suspicious.” She regarded him with a gentle grin. “Though it seems you’re simply too alert to be fooled.”

“Oh, well, I don’t know about—”

A sudden boom shook the floor, causing both inhabitants of the hall to rise into the air instinctively. Sky was the first to recover, spinning and looking in all directions, searching for any kind of threat to the Princess’s safety.

“By the Founders, what was that?” Luna asked, looking bewildered as she settled onto the floor before the throne.

Sky was still in the air, but at the very least, whatever it was didn’t seem to be anything dangerously close. But the memory of the Chimera using its power to shake the city took a firm hold of his mind. “I’m not sure, Your Highness,” he replied. “But it sure felt like it came from…” He hesitated as the significance of the thought solidified. “…from beneath us.”

“It certainly did,” Luna agreed, her brow furrowed in worry.

Just then, the great doors to the hall burst open, and the four royal guards charged in. “Princess Luna!” Night Crest shouted as he and the other three guards reached her, “Are you unharmed?”

“Yes, I am fine,” she said. “Sky Streak, I suggest you go investigate that blast.”

He didn’t need to try and read between the lines to understand what she meant: Get to the Alicorn Guard HQ. Now.

“On my way, Princess!” he called as he flew from the chamber, leaving an electric blue trail behind him as he went.

He shot through the halls of the palace, bouncing off walls and zig-zagging through the corridors as he raced to get to the entrance to the underground bunker. Guards and maidponies ducked out of his way and watched him as he careened down corridors, flying like he had been fired from a cannon. He was less than fifteen seconds away from the hidden entrance when Ace’s voice shouted into his head. Blitz! Blitz, you there?

I’m here, Ace. What the hay was that explosion?

You’ll never believe it.

All the more reason to tell me, Sky countered.

Listen, Blitz, just get down here. There was an explosion in the lab, and we’ve got a fire spreading…I hate to even suggest this, but it looks like somepony’s gone and sabotaged the HQ down here, and…it’s bad. Just hurry up and get down here; we can use all the hooves we can get!

Sky’s mouth went dry and dropped open. Somepony SABOTAGED the Alicorn Guard?! Who? And how?

Not sure, Ace replied, the urgency in his voice serving to further Sky’s haste to reach his friend. We’re trying to take a count to see who’s accounted for, but it’s tough with all the chaos. But…well, we may be dealing with a traitor here, Blitz.

Sky’s stomach clenched as the story unfolded. Ace’s voice was foremost in his mind, but in a close second was the echoing voice of the Chimera, warning him of the mysterious source of hatred that existed somewhere in Equestria. Only hatred would cause somepony to attack another, he thought. Have I been working with a traitor all this time?

As he reached the gateway, he pressed a hasty hoof against the forcefield, causing the hidden door to open. But as he turned to descend its steps, an orange and red blur rocketed past him, laughing maniacally as it shot through an open window and into the clear Canterlot air.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, jumping back involuntarily. The wake of the object’s passing tugged at his wrap, jerking his head towards the open window. He had barely managed to avoid it, but the blur of color that passed him told him everything he needed to know.

Blitz, you OK?

Ace, you’ll have to handle the situation down there without me. He stared out the open window with new resolve.

What? Why? Where are you going?

I’m going after the traitor. He just passed me as I was getting ready to come down the stairs.

Wait, who is it?

Nova threw another bucket of water on the fire. Even through her breathing mask, the fumes from the burning chemicals of the laboratory created a putrid smell that caused her eyes to water. But her singular focus was on putting out the fire. Nearby, Riptide was directing water from any source she could find—buckets, faucets, leaky pipes—onto the fires to attempt to put them out. Five or six others of the Guard were in the room as well, trying to suppress the flames in any way they could. Ace had been helping, too, but he now stood like a statue, apparently paralyzed by something.

“Hey, Ace, get with it!” she called over the crackle of the flames. “We need more water on the fire by the mixing table!”

In response, his bucket, which had been suspended by his magic, rattled to the floor. Apparently, his mind was focused elsewhere.

She shot down next to him and gave him a series of knocks on the crown of his head. “Hey, Ace, you in there? We’ve got a crisis to deal with!”

Ace recoiled from the blows, and when he looked at her again, his eyes were refocused, but filled with disbelief. “Blitz isn’t coming,” he managed.

“What?!” Nova blurted, casting a look back at the roaring fires. “Why the hay not?”

“He’s going after the traitor,” he said, shaking his head as if he was trying to dislodge something from his mane. His eyes were pools of concern and denial.

“The traitor? Who is it?”

“You won’t believe it,” he warned, regathering his bucket.

“Tell me anyways.”

As his eyes met hers, she saw the fiery rage of a pony that had been betrayed. “It’s Nighthawk,” he said through clenched teeth. “Blitz’s gone to confront Nighthawk.”

Sky’s vision was red. Every beat of his heart was like a kick to the chest; his soul’s defiant struggle to push back the devastating truth of his current situation. But no matter how hard he fought, one word echoed in his mind, a blaring siren that would not be denied.

Traitor. Traitor. TRAITOR. TRAITOR.

“It can’t be,” he whispered to himself. Below, Canterlot was nothing but a colorful blur of a backdrop as he pursued his quarry. Up ahead, he could still see Nighthawk, racing along the edge of the mountain. Sky had no idea where he was going or what he was up to, but he only had one objective at the moment.

Catch up.

He surged forward, beginning to close the distance between himself and the orange pegasus. They continued to circle the mountain, higher and higher, neither slowing down in the least. At last, just before they reached the Crown of the Mountain, Nighthawk came to a stop. He turned where he floated as Sky approached. But as Nighthawk’s figure grew in his vision, Sky noticed one peculiarity.

His eyes were closed.

A knot formed in his throat and his stomach twisted. If he opens his eyes and they’re glowing red, I swear, I’ll hit him so hard he’ll go through this mountain.

“Ah, Blitz, you have questions for me, I’m sure,” Nighthawk began. Aside from the obvious, his behavior was strangely formal for one whose current circumstances involved being the primary suspect of sabotage and betrayal.

“Yeah,” Sky replied, momentarily managing to suppress his anger. “First one: why?”

“Why?” he echoed, smiling crookedly. “Oh, did you really think that the mighty Alicorn Guard was so secret that none would know about it? Celestia assumed that this city would be safe under your watch while she was away, didn’t she? Neither you nor she suspected that your enemy was within your own ranks. And there’s no faster way to expose vulnerabilities than to strike at the heart of a matter.” He bared his teeth as his wicked sneer grew. “And so I have.”

Sky’s mind erupted in a flame of emotions. This was the truth. It had been Nighthawk all along, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes.

“You…you…YOU!” Sky shouted. It was all he could manage through the red haze in his mind.

Nighthawk’s infuriating sneer persisted. “Now where’s all that ‘peace and harmony’ you’re always going on about? All I see is rage and anger. I guess you really didn’t learn all that much from the fight back in the Painted Forest, did you?”

And as he finished, his eyes opened. Sky fully expected to be greeted by the all-too-familiar sight of those glowing red eyes, but as he looked on, he was surprised to find that he was wrong. They were not red, but they were not Nighthawk’s eyes, either. They were completely black, save for a pulsing violet light in the center of where the pupils were supposed to be. The sight broke Sky’s fury, giving him a moment of clarity.

“If you think I’m the same pony that lost that fight back then, then I’d wager you haven’t learned anything about me,” Sky said through gritted teeth. “I was tasked with preserving the peace of Equestria, and if I have to fight to do that, then I will.” He slammed his hooves together, causing sparks to fly. “I’m gonna break you into a million pieces and bury them at the bottom of the ocean for what you’ve done,” Sky said, gritting his teeth. “But tell me one thing first: how did you do it?”

“Oh, you want a full explanation? I’m sorry, but I’m barely getting started with my plan. If you want answers, you’ll have to stop me.” With that, he tucked his wings and turned into a straight nosedive towards the city below.

“The hard way it is, then,” Sky replied, turning into his own dive.

The two pegasi accelerated towards the ground below like they were playing a game of chicken with the earth itself. Nighthawk seemed to just slip through the air, smooth as silk, while Sky was a meteor, tearing through the air with tremendous force.

Just as Nighthawk reached the ground, he twisted his body parallel to the ground and caught the wind under his wings. He reached out and lightly kicked against the ground with his rear hooves, barely losing any speed or momentum as he completed a near-perfect ninety-degree turn and raced between the buildings of a quiet Canterlot street.

Showoff.

Sky came in at an angle, spinning in the air to augment his turning radius. As he entered the alley, he ducked under some line of drying laundry, which flapped wildly as he passed. Several fell to the ground in his wake. Look at him up there, trying to be all stylish and smooth, Sky thought. Indeed, Nighthawk barely left any indication of his passing. It was as though he wasn’t really even there: he was just a figment of a pony’s imagination. Sky, on the other hoof…well, you couldn’t really ignore him.

And that’s when it hit him. We’re totally visible.

He had no cloak, no disguise at all. Nighthawk was the same way. They were both pegasi, and while Sky’s ability to use magic wasn’t entirely a secret, it wasn’t common knowledge. Nighthawk, however, was, by all standards, just a royal guard pony. He wasn’t a member of a secret society of ponies; he was just Firebolt, a pegasus of Canterlot. If he started to use his magic…

And that was ignoring the fact that he was completely privy to many of the most confidential secrets of Equestria. If he managed to let loose about the Alicorn Guard and even half of the knowledge he possessed, he could potentially shatter the peace of the realm and put countless other civilizations in danger.

I don’t have a choice, Sky thought. I have to take him down now. I can’t risk the safety of the realm just to preserve the secrets of my abilities. Releasing a wave of magic through his body, he dashed ahead, pulling even with Nighthawk, who casually watched with those creepy eyes.

“Throwing caution to the wind, hm?” he called, and there was a cruelty to his voice that made Sky’s skin crawl. “Very well. You and me, Blitz! Canterlot is our battlefield! Prove to me that you are worthy of being my adversary!” He decelerated slightly and gracefully rose into the air. His wings began to emit an orange glow that grew and faded like a bonfire. His eyes narrowed until they were mere slits. And his sneer turned into a scowl that was the very essence of hatred and rage.

“I’ll be glad to finish you once and for all!” Sky shouted, rocketing towards Nighthawk.

The two met in the air, and a burst of blue and red illuminated the alleyway as their hooves slammed into each other. The blast knocked Sky back, but he flattened his wings and spun, hoping to knock Nighthawk off balance. But his teacher saw it coming and merely leaned out of the way. “Haha, I can tell this is going to be too much for this little side street,” Nighthawk said, rising higher into the air. “How about we go somewhere a bit more…open?” He turned and retreated, skimming the tops of buildings as he headed for the center of the city.

Not good. If he’s headed into the city, that’ll put other ponies in danger. And I already know he’s perfectly willing to risk their lives to accomplish…whatever his goal is. Sky was hot on his hooves, desperate to keep him within reach of his leg. One thing was certain: Nighthawk was a pro. He made everything look so simple, like it took only the smallest effort to do even the most technical and complex maneuver.

And that wasn’t going to be easy to counter.

Suddenly, Nighthawk stopped dead in the air, his leg firing out like a piston, aimed right for Sky’s quickly approaching head. He barely saw it in time, managing to do a half-backflip, clearing the attack by mere centimeters. His momentum carried him well past his orange-tinted foe, even without the added force of his wings, but as he turned back, a blast of magic slammed into his chest, sending him spiraling even further.

Can’t let him dictate the pace of the battle! Sky thought. Gathering his wits, he conjured a magic spell of his own and waited for Nighthawk to re-enter his field of vision. And in a split second, he was rewarded with a view of an upside-down smirking pegasus looking back at him.

That’s as appropriate a bull’s eye as I’ll ever have the opportunity to take aim at.

The spell torched the air as it sped towards its target. Nighthawk managed to raise a magically-shielded hoof in time, and there was another flash of light as the two magics cancelled each other out. “Nice try, but you’ll need to do better than that!” he taunted, lowering his hoof to see.

He had barely finished speaking before Sky’s hooves were planted in his back between his wings. “I’m counting on it!” he shouted, kicking downward and unleashing a bolt of magic at the same time. Sky heard a rush of air escape from his mouth as Nighthawk plummeted to the ground below, raising a cloud of dust as he landed.

To Sky’s dismay, a group of ponies had begun to assemble nearby, intently watching out of curiosity and concern. “Clear out!” Sky said, flying overhead and waving his hooves desperately. “It’s dangerous here! You need to get to safety!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Sky heard from the settling dust cloud. Nighthawk was brushing himself off, looking no worse for the wear. He began to saunter over to where the onlookers stood, now suddenly wary of Nighthawk’s approach. If nothing else, his eyes were enough to creep out just about anypony. “There are very few places within Canterlot that could be safe from you and I, Sky Streak.”

Sky quickly landed and took a defensive posture. If nothing else, he had to protect the innocent ponies of Canterlot. “Run!” he shouted. “Let me handle this!”

“So eager to be alone?” Nighthawk asked, his smirk returning. “But I’d like to have witnesses to be able to testify to your failure here today.”

“Get real,” Sky snarled. His body was taut as a rubber band pulled to full extension.

“Oh, I am most serious,” Nighthawk returned. The dust at his feet seemed to suddenly alight with fire as it swirled around his hooves. “The culmination of everything starts today—with your defeat.”

The crowd of onlookers began to turn tail and run, apparently terrified by (What else?) a show of magic from a pegasus. Sky held his position, but managed to relax ever-so-slightly at the sudden absence of innocent bystanders. He watched as Nighthawk’s flames split into embers and streams that swirled around his body. In response, Sky’s mane lit up, and his eyes radiated an electric blue. Miniature bolts of lightning arced from his hooves to the ground, scoring the ground black along their paths.

“As I said, there are few places here that could withstand us, and that is most certainly the case should we get magic involved.” He regarded Sky for a short moment. “As it seems that we shall.”

“Shut up.” Sky rose up, staring Nighthawk straight in the face. “Talk is cheap. You and me, right here, right now. That’s all the discussion we need.”

“Suit yourself,” he said.

Sky made the first move. He flipped into the air, dragging his rear hooves along the ground, then pulling them up in a vicious upward kick. Nighthawk dodged the initial blow, but the dust that Sky’s hooves had accumulated flew into the air at the same time, clouding his sight. He blew it aside with magic, only to reveal the light blue pegasus, barely a foot away, speeding in for a bruising tackle.

With blinding speed, Nighthawk managed to raise a leg and block the attack. Their eyes met and held for a split second, until Sky noticed a radiating sphere growing between Nighthawk’s wings. He withdrew his hooves and spun to his left just as the spell was released. He rolled to his hooves in a flash and locked in again on Nighthawk. Behind him, he heard the sound of a crash or explosion of some sort as Nighthawk’s spell collided with a home or building along the side of the road. Inwardly, Sky grimaced, but he couldn’t focus on that right now. He had a bigger problem to deal with.

Nighthawk’s wings suddenly ignited in flames. He rose into the air and began to spin rapidly, encasing him in a whirlwind of flames. For a second, Sky was entranced. He had always heard of Nighthawk’s prowess in battle, but he had never actually witnessed it. Truth be told, it was quite a sight.

The flaming tornado suddenly sped on him, and Sky’s mind snapped back to reality. Mustering all the speed he could manage, he dove into a forward somersault, pressing his wings against each other. As he came around in his flip, he released a blast of magic out of his wings, emerging as a blade of energy that crashed into Nighthawk’s inferno, dissipating it. Sensing an opening, Sky thrust forward with a free hoof, aiming right into the jaw of his opponent.

His leg suddenly felt like it was caught in a vice. Nighthawk stood on his hind legs, holding Sky’s outstretched leg between two of his own. “Sorry, Blitz, but I’m just one step ahead of you.” He entwined his leg with Sky’s and smiled confidently.

“Oh, I was planning on that,” Sky countered, flashing a smug grin, laced with the bitterness of betrayal. He locked his leg with Nighthawk’s, sparked a pulse of strength-enhancing magic, and hurled Nighthawk into the air. He watched with satisfaction as the orange pegasus flailed his legs and wings in a wild attempt to regain control.

As he finally re-oriented himself, he looked down with disdain on Sky. “You know, that smug attitude of yours is beginning to get under my skin,” he said. “I was content to play with you for a while, but if you think you’re all that, then let’s drop all pretense and just go all out.” He gestured with his hoof to where Sky watched. “Shall we?”

No words were necessary at this point. Sky slowly ascended, rising until he was level with his adversary. The air was alive with magic. Flashes of blue and orange danced between the pair of pegasi like danger flares; harbingers of the impending battle.

In perfect unison, the pair launched themselves at each other, hooves reached to full extension as they raced to their imminent collision. Sky’s navy and silver mane shimmered in the wind, while Nighthawk’s iridescent red mane rippled with magic.

Their hooves met, and the peace of Canterlot shattered.

Author's Note:

So, the mystery unravels, and Sky learns who his enemy truly is. And it's a grudge match over Canterlot!
I saw "How to Train Your Dragon 2," and (aside from being a good movie) it gave me a bunch of fun ideas for aerial battle sequences, which *SPOILER ALERT* won't all be showcased in this battle. Which (probably) means that there will be more later on down the line. *END SPOILERS* I'm really looking forward to see what you think of it, since this is a new area of exploration for me in writing.
But even though Sky's got a pony to match with his search for the mastermind behind the Chimera's rampage, he still has a lot of questions: namely, how and why. And if the answers are anything like the battle with the Chimera, they're likely to be completely contrary to what he expects...and come at a high price.