The rise of the Guard.
"'Pant pant pant' Man cornered and no bolts left." Eclipse muttered to himself looking at his crossbow as a pony came up to him this murderous intent in his eyes. "Well this is it." Eclipse muttered as the pony came Closer.... Closer.... Closer...
"That's enough for today Eclipse." Swift Wind the mentor of the thirteen year old prince said
"Phew." Eclipse said collapsing to the ground exhausted from the intense training "I almost had you." Eclipse said
"Almost isn't good enough Eclipse it is the difference between life and death in the field." Swift Wind instructed "Now go clean up and go home."
"Yes sir." Eclipse said getting up holding his left side which he had knocked into a tree minutes ago. "And next time don't waste your crossbow bolts." Swift Wind shouted to the young prince before he got out of earshot.
"Afternoon son." Celestia greeted "How was training?"
"Good almost had Captain Swift Wind." Eclipse lied
"Now Eclipse I know when your telling tall tales." Celestia said somewhat scoldingly
"Fine he beat me in five minutes." Eclipse admitted letting out a grunt as his side flared in pain. "Let me get that for you." Celestia offered
"No mother Swift Wind says everything we feel in training marks how well we did." Eclipse replied as he walked down the hall to his room.
---
"Well well well look what the manticore dragged in." Blueblood commented seeing Eclipse walking down the hall
"I live here." Eclipse defended "And I'm not a WHAT I'm a WHO."
"Oh coming from the child WHO isn't even a pony let alone royal blood." Blueblood mocked. The comment stung Eclipse more than his side, he had been told his parents had been killed by a gryphon and Celestia adopted him but he still felt upset when the topic of his origins came up. Eclipse tried to stop himself from tearing up as Blueblood walked away laughing before saying "Not like I can blame them after all I'd rather die than father a failure myself." This was the final insult that stabbed Eclipse like a knife made of molten steel and as Blueblood left earshot and out of sight it was then that Eclipse ran into his room and cried over his parents death.
---
"He's just a child and you DARE mock his lack of a blood family." Celestia yelled in pure anger at Blueblood
"That THING has no right to the throne." Blueblood yelled back
"THAT is what you care about a damned CHAIR? This is your cousin for the suns sake, your FAMILY." Celestia yelled her anger growing
"He is no more deserving the noble title of prince than the piles of manure the farmers shovel from their cows." Blueblood said and it was that Celestia lost her temper with Blueblood. "GET OUT." Celestia bellowed loud enough to make the walls shake "YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO TAKE THE THRONE. MY SON IN 10 TIMES THE PRINCE YOU WILL EVER BE." Celestia boomed as Blueblood ran from the throne room. Celestia calmed when Blueblood left and sighed "Tell the counsel I will not be attending the meeting. I have some more urgent matters to attend to." Celestia told Swift Wind who only nodded in response.
---
'Knock knock knock' Celestia opened the door to her son's room slowly only to have her heart sink as she saw her only child crying with the blanket he was found in clutched close to his chest. "Why? Why did you leave me? Why did the sun and moon forsake me?" Eclipse asked himself between sobs " Eclipse?" Celestia asked softly as she walked in only to be quickly hugged by her son who was soon wetting her coat with his tears. "Oh my poor child. It's alright. I'm here." Celestia said lightly stroking her son's head "Am I truly a failure?" Eclipse asked
"No you are not." Celestia said "your only thirteen and your already top of your class at the academy and the personally picked apprentice of Captain Swift Wind all in only three years of joining. You have accomplished more than he has in his entire life." Celestia assured using the term him to avoid mentioning Blueblood. "Where they... Where they given a proper burial?" Eclipse asked
"Yes my son and I am certain they are looking down on you with pride at having brought such a fine young stallion into Equestia." Celestia said
"Thank you mother I promise I'll make them proud."
---
Eclipse walked through the forest as he kept his eyes focused on the trees around him. His breathe was silent and his mind focused he knew he would succeed, he HAD to succeed.
Movement caught Eclipse's eye as he turned quickly enough to block an attack from his would be assailant before kneeing the attacker in the stomach making it slouch in pain from the impact. Eclipse soon followed up with an uppercut and knocked the enemy of it's feet before it got up and made a quick retreat into the forest.
Eclipse was on his toes now he knew he would be attacked again and that it would be soon. Eclipse loaded his crossbow and kept his dronrak at the ready. Eclipse made a run for the nearest tree and climbed to the tallest branch he could reach before starting to move from branch to branch in pursuit of his attacker.
Eclipse came into a small clearing and decided to pull a sting maneuver and make a trap within the trap. Eclipse made a rope trap with some nearby vines before walking into the center of the clearing pretending to be lost and sure as the sun rises his attacker struck once again. Blade struck against blade as the two fought for what felt like hours before Eclipse made a run for his trap.
Eclipse climbed up into the trees and when his opponent fell into place Eclipse jumped with a vine in hand and setting off his trap and hanging his enemy from the vine trap he had made by the hoof.
Eclipse walked up to his attacker and cut the vine before helping the opponent back up and when the toe where face to face they both laughed. "You have done well Eclipse much better than yesterday." Swift Wind said fondly
"Thank you sir I learned from the best." Eclipse replied
"It's good to hear but what is it that has made you so determined to succeed now?" Swift Wind asked
"Just... Trying to make some important people proud." Eclipse replied looking up towards the sky.
---
January 17th 2014 C.R
Today I have learned that it isn't just a desire to do something that makes you a success, you need something to fight for to succeed. Some may try and bring you down or discourage you but there will also be others that will lift you up and pick you up when you're down. It is these people that I'll fight for as well as for those who look down on me as I fight to make them proud.
Eclipse Lunablade.