Black Nightshade The Night Guard Origins

by Black Nightshade

Chapter 2: A Talk Among Kin

"Captain, it's 4 in the morning... why am I being requested this early?" Black asked, a yawn escaping her mouth as she trotted behind the Captain who had awoken her: Since the close combat training day, the whole camp had been buzzing with the rumour that one of the toughest Instructors, who had a reputation for never being tackled, was taken down by a Cadet.

"The sergeant has requested your presence." said the Captain, turning his head to meet Black's eyes, which were now perky and alert, akin to them being droopy and fatigued a few minutes ago. A few seconds later, the Captain and Black were in front of a tent adorned with all four phases of the Moon. The Captain pulled back the tarp and stood aside.

"He'll see you now." said the Captain and Black gulped... then walked in.

She did not expect what she found inside; on one wall were posters with the royal insignia of Princess Luna, pictures of her with older stallions, and a large frame with the Princess in her royal armour, holding a large lancer. On the other wall, was several weapons of varying sizes, some she recognised as a hunting dagger, to a two handed broadsword.
But what was most impressive, was on the wall behind the Sergeant's desk; in the mouth of what looked like a frozen Timberwolf, was the longest War Axe she had ever seen! Larger then her fathers axe for chopping down trees outside her home, it easily measured 40 feet and the blade was 40 inches in diameter and was a deep royal blue and was... glittering?

"Welcome Cadet. Ah, I see your admiring my Moon Slicer."

Black jumped.

The Sergeant, towel up to his face, was walking into the room from somewhere Black hadn't noticed and she snapped to attention, her hooves muffled on the carpeted floor.

"Sergeant, Sir!" she yelped, saluting hard enough to smack her head. "Oww..." she said to herself, which made the Sergeant chuckle

"At ease Cadet, please." he said, moving his towel off his face and walked over to the Axe, touching it's handle. as soon as his hooves touched the wood, it flared with a brilliant glow, Black gasping in amazement.

"It's magically forged, gifted by my father before he passed away." The Sergeant pulled the axe down, sagging a little under it's weight, before adjusting himself. "This amazing weapon helped my father's father win the war against the tyrant King Sombra, before Her Majesty turned him into a Nightmare Guard." said the Sergeant.

Black shivered. Her uncle had told her about the Nightmare Guards: Night Guards that were influenced by Nightmare Moon, who helped spread her fearful reign across Equestria. Her uncle had said, that a group of special Night Guards had dared to wage a fight against their corrupted comrades, and their Princess. They won, but suffered massive causalities... many great soldiers died all those years ago.

"My father stole this weapon from his father and led the charge against Her Majesty... he suffered terrible injuries, but still had strength to bequeath this Axe to me. I treasure it always." said the Sergeant, placing the Axe back in the Timberwolves mouth. "But enough about the Axe, I wanted to speak with you."

"Oh yes." said Black, her ear twitched as she took a seat and the Sergeant sat down on his desk chair, resting his chin in his hooves.

"Your victory over Instructor Plowfield has created quite the rumour. What I wanted to ask, was how you managed to beat him?" The Sergeant asked, licking the tip of an eagle feather quill and a roll of parchment.

"Oh. Well umm... I just felt a burst of strength and he was in my way. So... I just tackled him to the ground." said Black, while the Sergeant scratched away on the parchment.

"I see.. can you tell me more about this strength burst?" the Sergeant asked and Black cleared her throat.

"I don't know how it happened, I just saw red then saw his back hooves in my face... and the next moment I was standing up, looking at him with a strength I've never possessed before."

"Wait... you saw red? Are you sure?" the Sergeant asked, his quill paused and his slitted eyes staring straight at Black, wide with amazement and fear.

"I'm pretty sure that was all... why?" Black asked.

"Umm, no reason... no reason at all..." the Sergeant trailed off, writing in the parchment then placing the quill on the desk. "Thank you for the talk, now go and try to get some sleep. Today is Arial Combat with the Night Guard armour. Your going to need to be alert for this one!" said the sergeant and Black nodded, getting up from the seat.

"Thank you for the talk, Sarge." said Black, snapping a salute and running out of the tent, flapping her huge wings and flying back to the barracks.

"...She can't be..." said the Sergeant, pulling a drawer open on his desk and pulling out a picture. In the frame was the Sergeant himself, Princess Luna, a Bat Pony stallion with a scar over his right eye and a bundle of blankets in his hooves, two large bumps resembling wings. The sergeant looked from to the picture to the open flap, quietly swinging in the wind. "Is it?" he asked... then chuckled and placed the picture back in the drawer.

"No, I don't think so." he said, picking up the quill and resuming his scratching.