//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 
// Story: A Thousand Moons Missed 
// by WuRs 
//------------------------------//

	Life is a monotonous cycle. For most ponies, that is. And even though life with the princesses added excitement to that cycle, it was a cycle nevertheless.

So much so that even adventures and fights seemed to belong in said cycle. And, like everypony else, it’s when you give way to the cycle that… well, the cycle breaks.





Celestia invited me to go with her to settle some business with a rogue group of griffons who demanded some land for themselves. Celestia always tried to talk some sense into rogue groups, but when they start to pillage villages and killing innocent ponies, the Sun awakens. 

I didn’t even need to draw my sword. 

I walked back looking at the sky and probably made some joke. I looked at Celestia. 

I will never forget that look. Anger. Disgust. I thought it was the joke but before I could say anything her horn lite up with a yellow glow, stronger than the sun itself. It focused on me. And I was taken away.

The spell took me to someplace badly lit with a stench of sulfur and rot. The disorientation of such a powerful teleportation spell was enough to bring me down, but in combination with that stench, it took a lot of mental power not to puke. 

When I finally found enough strength to stand up, I looked around. An underpowered magical light source kept an uncomfortable and unpleasant atmosphere. Now the questions were starting to sink in. 


Why?... 


Where?


But I knew where I was… Deep down I always knew. But I didn’t believe Celestia could do this to me. So, I wandered. Walked in the shadows, exploring, looking for something to prove me wrong. 

I felt something following me. Looking at me. But I turned around and there was nothing. I kept going.

I heard some voices and I followed the sound. But to my surprise, there were no sources.

I must have spent months before I found an actual being. I thought I was dead… Doomed to wander alone for the rest of eternity. 

But when I found someone, I knew I was in Tartarus… Because… I was there when Celestia sent him here. Some sort of sentient dog that was bringing terror to villages. 

The spell took my armor and my sword so it wasn’t like I could just go to him and... 

And do what? 

I was stuck in Tartarus, I couldn’t do anything to escape… I could only survive. A lot of Tartarus was still a mystery to me, but from the months I spent wandering, I learned that I didn’t need to feed, drink or apparently, breathe since I ran and my breath seemed to remain constant. 

So, surviving was a bit easier. But I still didn’t know if I could die.

I decided that he could give me some answers. He had a little camp with a campfire and some sort of fur where maybe he could sleep.

I sneaked around using his fire against him. I managed to grab his sword before he could even see me. I stood up and almost immediately he turned around and tried to punch me but I already had his sword in his neck.

“Don’t!” I advised.

I will never forget the look on his face.

“It can’t be… Blaze, a royal knight, in Tartarus? Ah! You are a long way from home, aren’t you?” You couldn’t take his smug look even if you tried.

Seeing the situation, we were on, we calmed down. I kept the sword of course.

“So, what brings you to Tartarus? Please tell me you sliced one of the princesses’ throats!”

“Can you shut up?” He shrugged, keeping his smug look. 

“As you’ve been here longer than me, I would appreciate a bit of information.”

“Oh, bummer. You see? We are not in Equestria so… unless you be nice and tell me why you are here… You can continue on wandering.” And he sat down next to the campfire.

He was right… I was in Tartarus. 

I needed to know… 

And someone to help couldn’t be bad. I sat next to him.

“I don’t know… Celestia just turned and banished me.” 

“Ah! That old hag as finally fried her head!” He proceeded to laugh… and laugh. 

“See? A royal champion! And a dirty ruffian with the same fate.” His smile contrasted with my look of betrayal. To my surprise, he noticed.

“Don’t worry now. We were gifted a new start. For me, some sort of redemption. For you… Revenge. So, what do want to know about our home?” He extended his hoof.

It took me a while for me to accept a new start. I shook his hoof and started an alliance that lasted longer than any Equestrian alliance would wish to last.

“Death.” I said.

His mood changed.

“It doesn’t work. You can’t kill yourself, end your suffering. If you die, it’s going to be painful, yes, but, you don’t escape you are just reborn in a different location here in Tartarus.” He paused.

“Trust me. I tried.”






“Blaze?” Luna let go of Blaze’s embrace.

“Were you-?...” 

Blaze just looked down.

Luna slide her way back to his embrace and tighten her grip.

“So, where was I?”






“Okay… Is there some place where I can gear up? I assume there’s plenty of reasons to be protected.”

The Dog’s smile rose.

“Well there is a market. Filled with the scummiest criminals that Equestria has ever seen. We could get started there. But if you want the best you are going to either kill for it or make it yourself.”

“Sounds bad, when do we set off?”

The Dog was about to answer but his face froze.

“It likes you, doesn’t it? Have you felt it skulking around?” 

So, it was something.

“What is it?” 

“Nobody knows, but it is usually quiet. Unless it finds someone that calls its attention.”

“Last time it made its presence know it caught a young draconequus… When someone finally found him, he was trying to become a rock… So whatever IT is… it’s bad.” 

He gave me some sort amulet made of crystal.

“Take this.”

“What is it?” I asked as I placed it around my neck.

“If one of us gets caught we can find each other in this hell’s dimension.”

We both stopped talking and listened to the crushing silence

“You should rest, when we wake up we’ll go to the market.” He said.

So, I did.

When we woke up we set off. The journey was dull. But when we set hoof on the market… It was an experience like no other. Everyone there was deserted by various reasons, but here they were at peace. They lived like an actual society. Of course, it wasn’t an Equesrian society but… a society nonetheless. 

With a bit of coins and a lot of “persuasion”, we got some armor for both of us, and it was there that Drill (that was his nickname) introduced me to the wonders of a war-axe.

“Here, this is for you. You’ve been wasting your skills with swords.”

At first I was skeptical.

“I bet I could beat anyone here with a-“ 

“Well, just imagine what you could do with a good axe.”

I grabbed it, the weight caught me of guard.

“To heavy for you, my prince?”

“Shut up.”

However, despite the good company… I was still in agony… 

The question: Why?... Was driving me mad. What had I done to be here? And it didn’t take long for hatred and rage to settle. There was only one thing keeping me sane…

Hope.

That tiny but powerful flame.

Hope that I would embrace you once more.





Luna couldn’t hold it anymore. With her face in tears she kissed Blaze. 

Blaze took a while telling his story, but this kiss lasted an eternity.





After that followed years of dull hikes in search for any quest or loot we could find. Others joined, others left.

We stayed.

Years and years went by. But everything was the same. Stagnant silence. And an illusion of change as we gained experience and learned about each other.

Drill had everything he wanted. A new start, he made hell his home porch.

I, tormented, survived.

Now, it’s hard to remember… so many days wandering… they all mesh into a glob of lost memories.

But there is one day… One day that is as vivid as our embrace.

The day IT attacked.

Me and Drill had just slayed some sort of native creature, a monster, giant, aggressive and deadly.

There was a rumor that it’s bones were harder than any metal. And so, our train of thoughts led to us hunting it so we could make weapons.

Drill was starting to carve his way towards it’s pelvis, with it we could make axe heads, blades and hammers to keep and to sell.

We started to feel it.

We had grown used to it following us so we didn’t react.

But we started to hear a rumble. A very deep sound that made our bones shake.

Drill climbed down of the carcass, in a blind panic, and took cover underneath it.

I stayed almost paralyzed staring the horizon. 

The sound grew. Even the ground underneath my hoofs started to shake

“Blaze! Hide!!”  Drill shouted.

And I, like a fool, ignored him and grabbed my axe.

And the noise stopped.

A maddening silence ensued. 

I looked around, paranoid. I couldn’t let it get the jump on me. 

But it was too late.

I saw a shadow involve me. I tried to run but it was massive.

IT got me. 


I never say I’m not afraid. But I do know how to control fear and use it in my advantage.


But this… Drill told me he could hear me scream in agony. And that it was louder than any war horn he had heard.

But what he heard wasn’t agony. It was pure fear.

Terror.

So immense that I lost control of everything.

And then came the pain… I felt my soul being stretched out of my body.

It only lasted a couple of seconds. But it felt eternal.

I woke up in the middle of nowhere.

Stripped of everything except for the amulet that now was pulsing.

Everything else was just a blur.

Drill found me exactly where I woke up. 

He told me I had a blank gaze, like my soul had simply vanished.

He helped me up, and took me to the closest tavern. 

After a couple of mugs of ale, I started to be me again. Drunk me.

I remember him asking questions about it. But, I kept refusing to answer.




After that, the only thing out of the ordinary that I remember was Twilight opening the portal, hundreds of years later.

The last battle.

I was with Drill and a group of bounty hunters when a magical glow opened a rift a few hundred meters away from us.

Drill looked at me with a vacant expression and just said.

“Go… This is my home now.”

The bounty hunters started sprinting towards the portal, and, like a leopard watching its prey run in fear, my instinct woke up.

I started flying towards not the portal, but the bounty hunters. They didn’t even realize I was there. My axe slashed their necks but I kept flying with my burning eyes focused on the portal.

And that was basically my stay in Tartarus.







Luna kissed Blaze’s neck.

They’ve been on the same spot of their bed the entire morning. And soon Celestia would call them for lunch.

“We should get up…” Blaze admitted.

Luna’s muzzle dug deeper into Blaze’s neck. Her mane drowning him in translucid galactic light show. But soon she admitted defeat and they both got up.

They followed the steps down stairs to the dining room and, to their surprise, princess Celestia was already leaving.

“Morning Tia. Oh, is it this late?” Luna asked still a bit doozy.

“Good morning. No, I just didn’t want to bother you two and I have a couple of meetings this afternoon so I decided to eat a bit earlier.” Celestia was a bit grumpier than usual.

“Well, you could keep us company if you have the time.” Blaze innocently purposed.

“No… As the old saying says, three is a crown.” Celestia countered with a passive aggressive tone.

“Sister… What’s the matter?” Luna was worried.

“I could just go for a walk if that’s the case.” Blaze naively joked.

“Maybe you should.” Celestia finally let go.

“Okay…” Blaze angrily agreed and started to walk out.

“Blaze?...” 

“Luna…, you two talk it out… I need some fresh air.”

And he left.

Blaze could have a short temper, but sometimes walking out can work in your favor. Why stay there feeding the flame of the argument? Just let it run out of oxygen and come back to clean things up.

Of course, that wasn’t his thought process. He just wanted to get out of there before he would burst. Besides, he needed the fresh air. All those memories took a toll on him. 

He flew past Ponyville and ate there.

He wanted to be alone, so he flew to the old castle.

Those ruins brought him back to simpler times. Nostalgia kicked in and, after checking no one was there, he let go.

Tears came down like waterfalls, striking his coat as hard as steel. 

But soon his fountains would shut. He would find his flame.

Back in the castle, another discussion would erupt. And again, as quickly as it started, both sisters, in tears, would find a common ground where they could stand and end the arguing.






And that was what life was in the castle for the next few months. Besides the occasional petty criminal, the days took a slow and passed flavor to them.

Boring some days, but always with some intensity to them.

Besides the tension with Celestia’s mood – some morning’s she couldn’t be talked to. But by the afternoon she was as docile as a house cat –the was almost no worrying matter, but the treat of “The Light Ponies” was still real even if they are as small and as short sighted as they seemed.

Blaze was pondering about this as he followed the flying carriage that the sisters were on. They were heading to Ponyville for a meeting with the mayor and princess Twilight. About Ponyville’s economy.

But it wasn’t Ponyville’s economy that made this meeting important. This was the first-time Twilight agreed to be in the same room as Celestia. They had exchanged letters with each other, which brought a marginal improvement to their relationship, but this was Celestia’s last chance to heal bonds with Twilight.

Ponyville was in sight. The guards picked a place to land. The princesses wanted to walk through Ponyville to greet the ponies and to see the progress of the little village.

They left the guards to protect the carriage and they started to walk towards the castle with Blaze, ever so vigilant, following them.

The village was alive. 

Blaze was growing a crush on this place. The ponies were nice, life seemed a bit more real there.

Ponies bowed and cheered as the princesses passed by. They walked through the center of the village and headed towards the castle.

As they turned a corner of a building and the crowds returned to their lives, a group of ponies occupied the road to the castle.

But when they got closer, they realized the group was blocking the road and was armed.

Blaze lifted of the ground and stopped above the princesses with his axe ready to strike.

Luna, hearing Blaze’s axe being drawn, summoned her armor and halberd. Celestia froze.

In front of them were three unicorns in formation with wizard robes, two pegasus floated behind them with spears in hoofs, to the sides were two more unicorns with swords and one yielding a shield and, in front, an earth pony with a more formal attire. He spoke.

“Holster your weapons! We wish to speak!” He spoke as if he sat on a throne.

“Speak, then.” Luna shouted as she revolved her halberd with a magical grip.

“You think you scare us? We know your scheme! We infiltrated the castle and found traces of mind control magic surrounding Celestia!” He ignored Luna and faced Celestia.

“Princess, join The Light Ponies, we will clear you from your sister’s dark influences and this treachery once and for all!” He stomped the ground with his last word.

“You can’t be serious…” Blaze muttered.

“What would you expect from someone who calls themselves “The Light Ponies”?” Blaze thought to himself.

“Ah, the Nightmare’s thug. You showed your strength, but doubting our seriousness? You need to learn respect!” 

A flame grew in all three wizards’ horns. The spells were all aimed at Blaze.

“I’ve had enough of this…” Blaze grabbed his axe with his right hoof and held it like a spear with its blade pointing outwards.

Blaze looked at Luna. Luna was watching his every move. Blaze nodded.

“Your arrogance will be your undoing! Prepare to see the wrath of THE LI-“

Luna surrounded Blaze’s hoof with a magical aura and Blaze used it as a foothold to launch himself towards the unicorn slashing is neck with a distorted cut.

The three unicorns launched fireballs in Blaze’s direction but they were blocked by Luna’s shield. Luna pushed the wizards back, stunning them, to give herself some time to get closer.

Blaze landed and grabbed his axe with his wing just in time to block a sword swipe. Blaze ducked and rolled to give his axe enough momentum to make one clean cut, decapitating his attacker. Blaze then grabbed the still levitating sword and charged the shield bearer.

Celestia was still in shock and was almost hiding underneath her own wing.

Luna was now flying in front of the three wizards who had just recovered. They charged their horns and tried to disarm the princess which only made her halberd slashes more vicious.

Blaze, covered with blood splatters and sweat, continued his charge. One of the pegasus tried to dive at him but Blaze slid to avoid his spear. 

The earth pony was jerking on the floor, drowning in his own blood, desperately trying to close the jagged wound on his neck.

When he was in front of the shield bearer, Blaze swiped with his axe but the only result was his attack being blocked and taking a shield on the muzzle

With his face now dripping with his own blood, Blaze took in consideration a smarter approach.

Blaze pretended to implement his swiping technic again, forcing is opponent to move his shield and, continuing his rotation, Blaze planted his hind hoofs into his attacker’s face finishing him off with a stab to the heart using the sword he had picked up. The shield bearer fell, defeated.

But in the heat of the battle Blaze didn’t spot the second pegasus that was circling around. The pegasus came down at a blistering speed and struck Blaze’s lower back. The spear didn’t penetrate the armor but it pushed Blaze to the ground and temporarily immobilized him.

The violence of the strike broke the spear and its spearhead. The pegasus took flight again and drew out a dagger. He was coming for Blaze.

Seeing this, Blaze tried to move but he was still stunned. As he laid there, defenseless, a stray sun beam flew above him and a sunlight infused spear impaled the pegasus treat.

Blaze turned his head, still lying flat on the ground, and, in his inverted vision, was Celestia in full-plated armor.

Not too far from him, the gurgling sound had stopped and the earth pony finally succumbed to his injury.

Luna emerged from a cloud of magic and dust victorious, her halberd dripping blood and her face covered in sweat. 

The last survivor was a pegasus who, after his first attack, could only watch the carnage below. And, acknowledging defeat, he tried to flee

Blaze, despite the pain, managed to get up. The spear might not have penetrated, but it left an indentation on his armor that cut deep into his flesh.

Celestia flew to recover her spear and Luna joined Blaze.

“I need to follow him!” Blaze was still struggling.

“You’re bleeding… Let us heal you.” 

“I’m fine, I can’t let him go.” Blaze grabbed his axe.

“Be careful.” Luna knew it was futile to discuss with Blaze in that state.

Blaze, still limbering, started the pursuit.



The pegasus hadn’t realized he had a tail, so Blaze could easily follow him and catch up by taking shortcuts through forests and other obstacles that the pegasus avoided.

The pain was almost paralyzing his left hind leg but he didn’t need his leg to fly. The blood was now escaping his armor and dripping from his leg.

The trees cleared and gave place to a giant lake. It was surrounded by forest except for one side that was occupied by a small mountain. And encrusted in said mountain was what seemed to be a fort of some sort.

Blaze followed the borders of the forest to remain hidden and, sure enough, the pegasus went inside the mountain.

Blaze floated looking at the fort.

“I’ll be back…” Blaze swore.




Back in Ponyville, the noise of the battle hadn’t gone unnoticed. The royal guards ran to protect the princesses, a small crowd was starting to form but the gory scene was dissuading most ponies. Princess Twilight came down her castle. 

“W-What’s g-going on?” Twilight stuttered as she saw the violent scene. 

Celestia’s motherly instincts kicked in. She tried to find ways to shield her from such a gory scene.

But alas, Twilight had grown.  She walked up to the princesses, cautious and in a mild shock, with her horn covered in a magical glow, ready to defend herself.

Luna didn’t give Celestia time to think of a pleasant excuse to the mess in front of her.

“It’s not all benefits being royalty. Even being the perfect ruler with the perfect kingdom, those who oppose will eventually appear.” Luna walked towards Twilight while she cleaned her halberd.

“Our peaceful doctrines gives ponies the illusion of our vulnerability. In this case, “The Light Ponies”, forgot that before being rulers, we were warriors.”

“But, w-what did they want to achieve? Did they want to rule?” Twilight’s curiosity was bigger than her shock.

“No, they wanted something far simpler. They wanted to kill me. They believed that I am controlling my sister. Pfft! Is there no limit to how low our enemies will strike?” There was a touch of sadness hidden in her hanger.

A guard rushed to the princesses. Celestia told him that threat was gone and ordered to clean the streets.

“Maybe we should go inside…” Twilight suggested, seeing that there were a few curious eyes looking.

Luna was going to agree but to her surprise her sister disagreed.

“We should wait for Blaze to return.”

Only now Twilight acknowledged Blaze’s absence. She was going to ask where he had gone but she spotted a dark spot in the sky.

Blaze’s wing flaps were heavy and few and far between. He tried to land but he ended up crashing on his side in the gravel road.

Luna rushed to help him, but he was already up by the time she was next to him. But Blaze almost collapsed and had to sustain all his weight on Luna’s wing.

Luna took him inside the castle, silencing him every time he made an attempt to speak.

Twilight closed the doors behind them.

Celestia removed Blaze’s armor while Luna started her healing spell.

Although the blow he had taken on his face looked gruesome, it was nothing to worry about. But the spear hit left a mark.

By deflecting the spear head, one of the steel scales of his armor cut through his leg.

He was still bleeding.

Luna started her healing. A cyan glow surrounded Blaze’s wounds.

Seeing that Blaze was in good hands, Celestia took her armor off and, accompanied with her spear, teleported it home.

Celestia felt disgusted. She just stood there while her sister fought for her life. Yes, she was never at risk but she just stood there. Like a filly too scared to respond to a teacher.

“Is everything alright princess?”

It was Twilight. She was worried. Not mad, not sad just worried. 

Celestia smiled.

“Yes, Twilight… I’m still trying to calm down.”

Twilight looked down and regained eye contact with Celestia, and smiled back.

Blaze’s wounds had healed. The cyan aura dissipated.

Blaze sat down on the cold crystal floor and was greeted by Luna’s lips.

“Next time, let me heal you before you go anywhere!” Luna begged with a frustrated tone and shimmering eyes.

Blaze hugged her. He might be healed but he was still weak so, still attached to Luna, he got up.

“They have… a fort. Near a lake.” His voice was cut by his drained body’s aches.

“Don’t speak… Rest. You deserve it.” Celestia suggested.

Blaze nodded.

He finally gained enough strength to stand on his own.

He turned to face Luna and saw her still in with her armor, covered in blood splatters.

“This… This ends tomorrow.” Blaze was almost blinded by his rage.

“Even if I have to kill each and everyone of them.” He thought.

“If you need help I could go too.” Twilight volunteered.

Twilight didn’t know half of what was going on, but seeing both princesses and Blaze suffering was enough to throw herself into danger.

Luna could see a young Celestia in her way of speech.

“We admire your courage princess Twilight, but we haven’t trained you to fight, we thought it wouldn’t be necessary. Perhaps your next lesson, if you wish so.” Luna spoke with a surprisingly friendly tone.

Twilight didn’t know how to respond so, she nervously nodded.

They decided to go to meeting room of the castle where the mayor was patiently waiting, unaware of the chaos. They all sat down and explained the reason they were late. Blaze sat in the corner of the room, plotting the raid. 

Celestia’s relationship with Twilight improved with each minute they spent together. Seeing Celestia fight to save Blaze helped Twilight clear some doubts she had in her mind.

Before night fell, Blaze, Celestia and Luna teleported to Canterlot, leaving the guards to carry the carriage back to castle. They had dinner, lowered the sun and raised the moon, and retreated to their respective bedrooms.

After a necessary shower, Luna and Blaze lied in bed were Luna could resume Blaze’s healing with some more privacy.

Celestia laid in bed. She was thinking in Blaze’s words.

“This ends tomorrow.” She repeated to herself.

“I hope you’re right Blaze. I really do.”

And closing her shimmering eyes, she fell asleep.