//------------------------------// // Interlude 1: The shadow mark. // Story: Love of a Prince and a Princess. // by Oblivionwalker //------------------------------// Twenty years before Princess Luna's return, inside the night guard recruit barracks. A small gathering of Thestrals or "bat-ponies" as the rest of ponies called them in the barracks were mingling with the rest, they were doing this because they were about to become a part of the Night guard instead of recruit and didn't know if they see each other again. Their was a even number of both unicorn-thestrals and pegsi-thestrals of five while only three of the earth-thestrals. Right now one of the unicorn-thestral's was rapid-firing question after question along with the rest on Enteral Abyss. "Come on tell us how you did that, even I know you didn't learn that from the training they put us through?" Another one of them, a pegsi-thestral mare that Abyss heard that her name was Nightshade even joined because she had seen it too. "I like to know about that too, and why you still don't have your cutie mark, no offence in your good skills in fighting though." She said. Abyss sighed before rising a single hoof to silence them all. "Alright fine, and Nightshade I do have a cutie mark, it's just very hard to tell and what I did during that one false combat practice was actually both learned skill and special talent." He said before motioning one of the unicorn-thestral's to give off a strong light spell near where his cutie mark is, and true to his word that at a mere glance or look everypony would see he's a blank flank, but now that they actually looked with a good light, they saw a spot that seemed slightly darker then the rest of his dark grey coat. "It's a Shadow Image mark, I can by choice make Shadow forms of me that if attacked and killed, will do no harm to me but what I hate about that is I gain the knowledge about what killed them and how to both dodge/counter that. Of course at my level of using that is sill a novice so it will only stand their, while a expert of master can actually make them fight alongside them or make other objects with Shadows." He said to the group. They were actually shocked that such a mark existences, but they can think how useful of a skill like that could be in patrolling a area or protecting a high value area or pony like one of the annoying nobles or the Princess. "Sweet skill and talent, but where and how did you get it?" One of the others asked. Enteral smiled while thinking back to the training with his Master. "You guys know that I kinda had a Master before joining the Night guard right?" He asked and he only got nods from them all. "Well it was during one of his sparing lessons that I gained it." Abyss said as he told them about that day, but didn't actually tell them how long ago was it and what his Master looked like, stating that it was six years ago when it really was sixty years. ___________________ Sixty years ago, a area out in the Everfree forest. A Slightly younger Enteral Abyss stood stock still in the clearing of his Master and him while using both his sight and hearing to find where his Master was. 'I knew he said that my combat skills are better when we first started but still he just love his veil of shadows, almost makes it damn impossible to find' He thought. The reason was because just as he said, the surrounding area was covered in a think veil of shadows like a neigh-impenetrable wall. Enteral cut off all thought when he heard just a brief sound of disturbed wind before quickly dropping and rolling to the side to avoid a strike that he was close to come in contact with, even he could see the pure pitch black blade just a breaths away from him. 'In the name of Luna, I think he was holding out in our last sparing because that was must faster then normal.' He quickly thought before shooting to his hooves and lowing his wings to the ground while staring at the black form of his master but soon gave pause as he saw a rather quick but really noticeable flash of what seemed like red lightening shooting off and dispersing in the air, but that was not all, he had somewhat of glowing red eyes while the bat-like wings his armor gave off but they looked like the mix between bat wings and those of a demon. 'What the, I never seen this mode of his armor and he said he shown me all of them.' Abyss thought. Shadow let off a chuckle that sounded like his normal voice but mixed with a demonic echo. "You have gotten faster at dodging Enteral but can you keep up with me? And I see you have noticed my new set of Armor, don't worry this is a fusion of my sheath armor mode and a talent I can do that allows me and what I am wearing to become even stronger, so feel free to use lethal attacks, my now is now almost as strong as my defense mode, also I just call this state a DT for now." Shadow said before suddenly becoming nothing but a blur, Abyss decided to try and becoming a moving target but soon found out all mobility to be all for not, as tendrils of shadow burst from around him before binding him to at this spot. 'Oh buck! I so bucking hate this power of his!' Enteral screamed in his head before his body tensing up as he saw the black and slightly red form of his master appearing above him with his blade coming in for a swing. Everything to Shadow suddenly went quiet as he stopped after his blade had finished it's course, he knew that his student knew how to get out of the tendrils of shadows and is able to dodge again, but when he saw that enteral was just standing there, not moving a single inch he knew he took it to far. 'Well shit didn't mean to do this' He thought before crouching down to check to see if he had missed but when he saw a clear as day line on his student's neck he knew he screwed up. Shadow was about to shout a curse before he felt a sudden weight on his back before seeing a glow of red light as well something being set against his neck that caused him to tense up. "I think this is checkmate Master. Although I don't know how I left a another me but I do have you now." The all to familiar sound of his students voice was heard from behind him before looking over his shoulder. "Quite and that was surprising to say the least, I honestly thought I screwed up and killed you, my bad Enteral." Shadow said before both him and Enteral suddenly looked at the other enteral as it bloated up before becoming what was shadows before bursting apart. "And it seems you learned how to do the shadow afterimage, that skill will save your life like it did now." He said before allowing his student off his back and standing back up, he dispersed his shadow blade before tilting his head back while to leave his DT fusion form to go the normal mode he like, he was about to tell his student that the sparing was over before both him and enteral saw a bright flash on his flank that told him the all to familiar sign of one getting there cutie mark. "And it seems we have found your talent as well." He added before bending down to check, he seen that by any other pony that is just glancing or looking will make Enteral look like a blank flank on how both his coat and cutie mark almost match but he can see it, it was a Shadow image mark but there was also a what looked and when he studied it, he confirmed it that their was indeed a shadow crown above it. "Hmm it seems you might become a rather powerful shadow magic user, maybe even come to my level of skill." Shadow said before both him and enteral taking their leave to go a honor this event, after all you only gain your cutie mark once. ___________ Sixty years later, inside the night guard recruit barracks Enteral Abyss finished his story before looking at the faces of his fellow recruits, he saw awe, shock, horror at the fact his master allowed him to use lethal force to stop him, and even curiosity among them. "Oh damn you had one badass Master Abyss, but how powerful is this guy anyway, and what is his name?" Abyss smile only grew as she chuckled. "I can so far can tell he can be ether as strong as the Princess or stronger, not sure because he always seemed to hold back or something, it almost like he is scared of going all out or something and his name he made me to promise to not tell till he is ready. They continued to talk and chat till they finally deiced to check their armor one last time before heading to bed so they can be ready for them to become full Night Guards tomorrow.