War in Equestria: The Tale of Bright Blade

by Michael_Ravencroft

Chapter 1

Sounds of battle could be heard echoing across the land, the land of the Nevermore Plains. A desolate place, what trees did grow were dead and the skies are black with dark clouds. The bodies of earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi littered the battlefield; their bright coats had become dingy and faded, with gray weathered manes and eyes glazed and unresponsive. The ponies were wearing dark blue and purple battle armor, each with the crest of a crescent moon.

Farther out beyond the fallen ponies were ponies that were still alive, still continuing the fight. A nightmarish enemy had formed a frontline, they had long fangs, wild black fire manes, red eyes, and from time to time they would snort releasing black smoke. On the other side of the line Pegasus ponies and earth ponies formed their front line each wielding spears and shields, while the unicorns brought up the rear, their horns gleaming with magical energy prepared to unleash a spell at a moment's notice. The demonic ponies stamped their hooves on the ground repeatedly, the ground thundered and rumbled, they brayed and snorted violently – each of them ready to charge forward and fight their enemy.

Just then the dark clouds overhead parted and revealed a shining full moon. A chariot pulled by two pegasi flew over the army of ponies staring down the evil creatures. Sitting in the chariot was a beautiful alicorn, her mane ebbed and flowed sparkling like the night sky, dark blue body and wings, and a crescent moon on her flank, Princess Luna. Her cyan eyes scanned over the battlefield, when she spotted the lifeless bodies of the ponies behind the evil ponies she bit her lip, biting back tears of sadness. Luna turned to her army, the look in her eyes changed from sadness to fierce anger.

"My army of the night, we must not dishonor the sacrifice of our valiant brothers and sisters, if we do not stop the Daemoni here then they will be free to wreak havoc on all of Equestria!" Luna flew down from her chariot and hovered over the frontlines. "At all costs we will end this blight before it begins! Fear not, I will battle beside you, even if it costs my life I will see you all return home as heroes!" she announced. The soldiers whooped and cheered, the unicorns released a few sparks of magical light that exploded like fireworks. Some of the Daemoni started to smile wickedly, as if they couldn't wait to prove the princess wrong.

"FOR EQUESTRIA, CHAAAAAAARRRRGE!" Luna shouted in her traditional Canterlot voice.

Luna's army galloped forward, the Daemoni army also charged forward. Luna flew low at the front of the charge with her horn pointed forward. Her horn started to glow with blue energy, spiraling around her and engulfing her body, she kept picking up more and more speed. Luna's attack smashed through the Daemoni ranks, they flew through the air like rag dolls letting out pained growls. Luna ascended into the air at a rapid pace, the energy dispersed and re-gathered at the tip of her horn. "Unicorns, release!" Luna fired a sphere of condensed magical power down on the Daemoni, at the same time the unicorns fired a barrage of magical energy spheres. Luna's attack hit first, a giant explosion of magical power decimated the Daemoni, the barrage then followed with multicolored explosions blasting away at the Daemoni. The pegasus ponies then swooped in and skewered the Daemoni with their spears, upon contact they disintegrated into a puff of smoke that was carried off by the wind.

The earth ponies advanced in a phalanx formation, mowing down any remaining Daemoni who managed to escape the onslaught. Even after taking so much punishment the Daemoni continued to fight on, stamping at the shields, biting at the hooves of the pegasi who flew down. Luna would use her spiral dash attack every so often, and in between unleashed energy blasts at any Daemoni that dared to end the life of any of her soldiers. Luna was elated, the battle was faring well for her side, and even though the Daemoni continued to mindlessly fight they were still being forced to fall back. It was at this same time that Luna began to feel anxious.

I don't understand, thought Luna. Sister said that the Daemoni were awakening and that I was the only one who could intercept them. But this whole situation…They fight, and fight, they show no signs of coordination nor do any of them show signs of leadership? So how did they release themselves…!

Just then a great and powerful force weighed down upon all, Luna was having trouble staying in the air and used her own power to stay afloat. Unfortunately the great power made all the Pegasi plummet to the ground like thousand pound stones. The Daemoni, unaffected by the powerful force, pounced on the grounded pegasi. The Daemoni surrounded the fallen pegasi, when they opened their mouths a kind of wispy ghost like light started to fly into their mouths from the pegasi on the ground, the fallen ponies screamed and pleaded, but the Daemoni only fed and fed till their bodies went limp, their manes turned gray, and eyes glazed over, white and lifeless.

"NO!" shouted Luna. "I won't stand for –!"

Luna froze as she saw thousands of violent orange lights erupting from the horizon. They streaked like shooting stars across the sky, arching down to their location. "Retreat…everypony…RETREAT NOW!" But it was too late, the beams of light found their mark and rained down upon the battlefield, Luna tried to dodge them, her wings getting singed at the edges. One of the beams was about to hit her, Luna quickly created a barrier and poured as much power into it as she dared. The beam smashed against her barrier, Luna was surprised at how strong the beam was, it took all her concentration just to keep it from shattering. In the end the beam slammed Luna into the ground creating a massive explosion from the collapse of her barrier.

It was quiet, very, very quiet. Luna, lying in a crater and half conscious, crawled out of the crater. Inch by inch she crawled, her body ached, her magical energy nearly depleted, but still she crawled on, hoping that maybe some of her soldiers were still alive. She was wrong…

The battlefield was devastated; Daemoni bodies along with ponies alike were strewn about, unmoving, unresponsive. "How…how can this be…"said Luna in lament. She stood up, wobbling a bit before finding her balance. Luna then looked to the horizon and gasped as thousands upon thousands of red eyes gleamed in the distance trailed by a giant dust cloud. Luna furrowed her brow; she stamped her hooves into the ground firmly strengthening her stance. She flared out her wings and her horn glowed with power.

"For the honor of my fallen soldiers I will fight till my last breath," proclaimed Luna.

"Dear Luna there is no need for this show of heroics..." The mysterious voice echoed through the empty planes, Luna whipped her head in all directions, trying to determine the source of the voice. "I must admit your bravery is to be commended…but you see it is a wasted effort, as powerful as you are you're not strong enough to stop me…"

"Who are you! Show yourself coward, are ye afraid to face the Princess of The Night!"

"Oh Luna, I'm right beside..." Luna turned to the left, and what she saw froze her heart with fear,"You…!"