//------------------------------// // Crescents // Story: 1000 Years Later // by DekaSkittalz //------------------------------// I had been sitting there on the cliff for a while, just staring out at the midnight sky when I heard flapping coming my way. Looking down, I see a pony hovering in front of me. This pony appears to be another thestral, like Skyline, but unlike him, she has a dead serious look on her face. Also unlike him, she has a set of what I can barely call daggers with circular handle guards. I raise an eyebrow as she approaches. “Can I help you?” I ask. The thestral regards me with her bright pink eyes before looking back at my face. “Your presence is requested in the training grounds.” she says without a hint of emotion in her voice, her messy deep purple hair and tail flowing in the wind. “Training grounds? By who?” I question while glancing down towards it, seeing a couple ponies gathered around it. “Princess Luna herself, sir.” she responds, her voice still devoid of emotions. I sit there, watching her for a moment. I examine her with my eye, which causes her to visibly tense up from the glow. I raise my eyebrow at a particular piece of information regarding her. “Aria Star of The Crescents, and Skyline’s younger sister. Color me surprised, I didn’t know he had one.” I say cutting off the glow. “How’d you know all that?” she asks defensively while raising an eyebrow. I chuckle and close my right eye, pull down my lower left eyelid and stick out my tongue. “I can know almost anything about anyone.” I get up and stretch. “Cya down there.” I say with a wave, and prepare to blink down to the training ground. “Wait.” she says abruptly. “Huh? What is it now?” I ask, somewhat annoyed. First she tells me to leave, then to wait. She looks down, the first show of emotion she’s made since I met her. “I… want to say thank you.” “What are you thanking me for? We just met.” “For what you did for Skyline. You lied for him in court earlier. Saved his life, his job, and just…” she trails off. “I getcha. For what it’s worth, it looks like me and him are friends. Besides, nobody deserves to have their life ruined over so small a mistake. The fact I got a proper shot at Celestia is also a nice bonus.” I say with a cheeky smile. She nods. “We’re still not gonna let that happen, so don’t get any ideas. Saved my brother or not, I won’t hesitate to put you down.” she says tersely. I simply laugh. “You know, your brother almost said damn near the same thing.” She scoffs. “Course he did.” “Well, siblings do think alike. Anything else or can I go now?” I say with a bit of a smile. She raises an eyebrow. “How are you gonna get down there? How’d you even get up here for that matter?” I smirk and give her a mock two finger salute. “Like this.” I say as I look at the training area and blink there. Winding up in the center of the training grounds gains pretty much everyone's attention. I care not, as I’m more concerned with the pain coursing through my eye. My own attention is caught when I hear the voice of someone I don’t recognize. “Monkeys appearing out of nowhere… I didn’t even start drinkin yet!” I glance at the direction of the voice and see a grey pegasus with a dull blonde head of hair and tail, along with a stubble beard and blue eyes. He also has a makeshift necklace made of string and metal, forming a circle with a crescent inside of it, and a halberd that looks way too big for a pony to wield, let alone a pegasus. I note that his name is Twisted Brew, then look at the pony next to him. This one, a grey unicorn with long pale gray hair and tail, along with a tail wrap towards the base, is staring at me inquisitively with her blue and purple eyes, a strange book held aloft beside her in his magic. Examining her, I’m surprised to find it’s actually a him. Even more shocking, is that book is a grimoire of dark runic magic. Why would he have such a thing? this pony, Caiuss, is a curiosity indeed. The one who went to collect me lands next to him, though he doesn’t even react. I’m about to ask what this is all about, when I hear someone clearing their throat a bit behind me. Whipping around, I see Luna across the way, and Skyline standing a fair distance away from her. I walk over towards her, and raise an eyebrow. “What's all this about?” She motions over to Skyline, who I didn’t notice upon first glance, is wearing a set of lightweight night blue armor. “He wanted you here for his punishment. Moral support he said.” “Punishment? For what? And why’s he wearing armor?” I ask. “You and I both know you lied in that courtroom. While Skyline is one of my crescents, and by proxy, a friend, his actions still led to some very bad things happening. I do not take lightly to a threat on my sister's life.” She raises a hoof to cut me off before I can even try to say anything. “The fact it wasn’t his intent to bring harm upon Equestria is the reason I’m forgiving him. However, a punishment must still be dealt out. Hence the armor.” “That… still doesn’t explain the armor. Besides, I thought he didn’t resume work until tomorrow?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. “He is of the night guard, Null. it’s technically tomorrow for him. As for the armor, his punishment is trial by combat.” she says nonchalantly. My eyes widen. “Trial by combat? You mean you’re just gonna beat the daylights outta him to deal with your frustration?” She smiles and waves a hoof airily. “Nonsense Null, I will not be participating. He will be facing three other crescents, ones I have chosen to face him for various reasons.” she motions over to the three ponies standing together. “Twisted Brew, Caiuss, and Aria Star. though I’d bet you already knew that.” I nod, glancing between the three. “I did. Though I am curious about that unicorn. Obviously you know about his book.” I say focusing on it for a moment before looking back at Luna. “why is he allowed to have such a thing?” “A couple reasons. One, he displayed a remarkable affinity for that school of magic. Two, to protect him from himself; Dark magic is something that can easily corrupt one’s mind, much like it did Sombra. Caiuss was already too deep to back out, but not deep enough to lose himself when I found him.” she casts a pitiful look his way, though he doesn’t notice it as he’s nose deep in his book. “Three, he has proven his loyalty.” she turns back to me. “Dark magic itself isn’t inherently evil. It all depends on who uses it. I trust him with it.” I stare at him for a while, still not sure about him. “It’s also why he is a Crescent, so that I may better keep an eye on him, and help him should he make a wrong turn. He is not nearly as versed in the dark arts as I am.” “And you want him to fight Skyline? Despite him using that kind of magic?” I ask, concerned for Skyline’s safety. I know very well what that kind of magic can do. “They have sparred before plenty of times, and he knows very well the rules about using his magic in a fight. He has been on the receiving end of each spell he knows, just so he knows personally what it does to others. Minus the lethal ones, of course.” she explains. “Mhm… alright, what about the other ones?” I ask. “What about them?” “What’s their story? Seems like every Crescent has one.” “You’d have to ask them yourself. I only told you Caiuss’s ‘story’ to address your understandable concerns about his magic. Now, do you have any other questions, or may I carry out Skyline’s punishment?” I still don’t like the fact he’s getting punished, but I get why she’s doing it. I nod and back away. “Crescents, make your final preparations, and assemble in the dueling circle.”