Blackened Night

by ZeirMakavar

0: The Beginning

Prologue
The Beginning

What else are we supposed to do? Get up at the end of the day, beginning of our nights. We work endlessly trying to protect both equestria, and Lady Lunamaria. Pardon, Princess Luna. Both of these are tireless, daunting jobs. Most of the time, we have to protect the Princess from herself. She doesn't know much about Equestria any more, not after spending the past thousand years on the moon. No, it seems we've had to come in and protect her from her ignorance.

As if she were a child.

"Oh but Black Moon..." Luna pleaded, smiling softly. "You promised there would be no more diplomats, dignitaries, princes, kings..." She mumbled, counting the number of people in the room as she named of titles. "And... And... Ah, who cares. I wanna go on an adventure."

"No Princess." Black Moon, the current Chief-of-Staff, and Head, of the Lunar Brigade. "I'm afraid the last fiasco at Appleoosa has caused an uproar across Equestria." He continued, looking over his half moon spectacles, as he read a parchment just handed to him. "Your sister and I agree, that you shouldn't go on any... Adventures for a while."

"But..." Luna said, still pleading, as she looked away from the dignitary in front of her, to look at Black Moon. "But... I handled that Windego just like I said I would... It didn't do much..."

"If by much, you mean destroy half the Apple orchard, Kill seven-teen ponies, five of which were just foals, and ate half the livestock," Black Moon said looking up from the parchment, before handing it to Luna. "Then yes, it didn't do much."

"I said sorry didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Black Moon sighed, shaking his head. "How ever, that doesn't bring back the ponies, nor does it get them their missing crop back."

"Right..." Luna sighed, before smiling as an idea came to mind. "Why can't we send food over to them? As a relief effort maybe?"

"There are some things you need to understand Princess Lunamaria." Black Moon continued, ignoring Luna. "The world of Equestria has changed a lot. There are thousands of more ponies now then from your time. I'd say millions, however due to the inaccurate census system of the time, it's a difficult subject. Because of this Luna each town, city, even fiefdom, needs all the food it can produce.

"Yes a wonderful idea, however there are some areas that produce an excess of food, such as the Apple family farm, however they produce enough extra for a small amount of people. Not to mention for their Apple Cider business." Black Moon sighed, shaking his head. "I'll tell you one thing, The Apple family Cider is one of the best I've had. But, that's beyond the point. The point being the feudal age of Equestria is ending, more and more power is being siphoned from Princess Celestia, and you as well."

"But, doesn't that mean..."

"Yes," Black Moon said, interrupting Luna. "The Canterlot Nobles are in fact the ones who have the real power in Equestria, Celestia and Your roles as Princesses are more of a honorary title now, and will do very little beyond letting you into things faster."

"Ma'am?" A Lunar guard said, walking up to them. "You have a visitor."

"Oh, can't it wait?" Luna asked, sighing as she rested her head on the arm of the throne. "I'm being lectured again..."

"No Ma'am." The Lunar guard said, "It's the Gryphon Diplomat Draken Claw, he also said to say that it was a matter of..."

"Did you say Draken Claw?" Luna said, her ears perking with interest. "The Draken Claw? One of the few ponies... er, Gryphons who've befriended me? That Draken Claw? I didn't know that Gryphons lived for more then a thousand years..."

"Ah no, that's not so." A large male Gryphon said, waltzing into the room, all while three other Lunar Guards were attempting to hold him back. "I in fact am actually Draken Claw the Twenty-second," Draken Claw said chuckling as he shook the ponies off of him. "It was my ancestor who you knew Mi'lady Lunamaria." He chuckled, holding up one of her hoofs and kissing it. "It is an honor to actually meet you."

"Oh, well at least somepony's still chivalrous..." Luna grumbled, glaring at Black Moon.

"Chivalry is an important part of life my dear." Draken Claw said chuckling. "Now, be so kind, as to tell these guards I'm not about to kill you, I'd hate to hurt them..."

"So what is it that brought you here Draken Claw?" Black Moon asked, watching the large Gryphon. They had since moved into the more private meeting area, as Draken Claw requested. "And why insist on meeting here?"

"Because of this." Draken replied, taking out what looked to be an old relic from some where in his clothes. "My researchers found this in an old ruin deep in the mountains. It's pony design is it not?"

"It is." Black Moon stated, taking the relic from Draken. "And it's old... We might not have anything on something like this. You say they found it in the mountains?"

"Yes."

"Well, it was smart of you to come to us about it." He sighed, examining the relic more. "I will have to look into this..." He chuckled, looking at Draken. "Would you mind if I keep it, while I look into what it is?"

"There will be no need for that Black Moon." Luna said, eyeing the relic. "I know what it is. I've seen it before."

"You do?" Draken said a smile on his face. "Or... you have?"

"Indeed," Luna said sighing. "It's an ancient artifact, ancient even from before my imprisonment." She continued, a soft nostalgic sigh escaping her. "There were, was, four of them in total. Each of them were owned by what were called Pillars. Both me and Celestia learned were taught by one such Pillar, he wore his."

"Ancient even to the Alicorn sisters..." Draken said smiling, as he looked at the relic. "It must contain so much power. Ponies would fight over that power."

"Indeed." Luna said nodding. "Which is why I'm asking you to return it to were you found it." She demanded. "And take one of my... er... guards, along with you. To ensure that it's been returned."

"That dangerous eh?" Draken chuckled, as he took the relic back.

"I would have liked to examine it a bit longer though." Black Night sighed, shaking his head. "Such an interesting relic, and from an age we know nothing about too."

"I know of your hobby Black Moon." Luna said, shaking her head. "You are a military stallion, and will attempt to use the artifact."

"So, which fine young gentlepony am I taking with me?" Draken chuckled, as he pocketed the relic.

"Hm... Take Raging Night with you." Luna said sighing s she looked around the room. "He's seemed stressed lately, and would benefit from getting out of Canterlot."

~~~ ~~~

"Oh, do come now Mr. Night." Draken Claw chuckled, as he sat upon the bed in his Hotel Room. "There was no need for you to follow me to my hotel room. It is not as if I'd run off an attempt to use a Pony relic. I've no need for them."

"Even so." Raging said, sighing as he stood at the door watching. "It is my duty, as given by Princess Lunamaria, to protect the Artifact, and prevent it's use."

"Well, it's not like I'd use it..."

"That is not what worries me."

"You think Sir Black Moon will attempt to steal it?"

"I do." Raging sighed, looking out the window before pacing around the room. "It is something he has done in the past. It worries me that Luna trusts his council, or that she trusts him long enough to let him in the building."

"So the Sir steals relics eh?"

"Yes, in the interest of studying them he claims. But, as the Princess stated,"

"There is a higher chance he'll try to use them." Draken said, finishing Raging's sentence. "Seems we're at an impasse then..." Chucking, he placed the relic in a small wooden box, before stuffing the box into the folds of the bed Raging was to sleep on. "There, happy?"

"Much." Raging stated, nodding softly before checking to see if Draken actually put the relic in the box.

"Not a trusting one are you Mr. Night?" Draken chuckled, as he sat upon the bed, yawning. "Well no matter, it's time for rest. We shall begin our daring quest to return the relic to where my people found it."

Author's Note:

[Word of note, this takes place in an alternate universe where only season one, two, and the beginning of three have taken place.]