Nightlight
Twilight was upset that she couldn't come on the camping trip to Fort Trothoof.
Like me Twilight is obsessed with investigating strange magical phenomena.
It is actually quite unfortunate that she would likely never get to test it herself.
Shining Armor
When dad told me that we were going on a camping trip to some place called Fort Trothoof.
I was really looking forward to it.
In fact I could barely sit still in my seat.
But eventually I noticed that dad had a strange expression on his face.
It reminded me of when he was going to talk about something important.
This trip is not really for fun is it.
When dad saw that I was looking at him his expression changed.
He asked me about how school was going, but I just asked him if something was wrong.
The expression returned and he said that he was thinking about work.
He decided to tell me about his first trip to Fort Trothoof with our neighbor Trick Star.
Their relationship was weird to say the least.
They got along well but also disliked each other.
We then started to talk about school and all that.
Before I knew it that expression had all but left my mind.
Nightlight
When I said that I was thinking about work I wasn't lying, but I will admit that it was not anything Shining was thinking.
When we arrived at our inn I noticed some immediate differences. The biggest example of this was that they had changed to key cards for room access.
Since Shining and I had arrived at about two in the afternoon so we were going to stay the night here.
They got a new chess variant called last stand.
It apparently combined chess and some other game.
I tried to take it easy on him but since I basically have a computer for a brain it was a bit difficult.
Twilight was better at these types of games than Shining Armor thought I did take a mental note to get a set of my own to play against Twilight after I taught her.
As for the receptionist from my first visit she had left for a trip and would not be back soon.
It was unfortunate that I could not use her for what I was planning but I over heard a lone traveler who planned to go in the exact opposite direction as us.
Oh well they will have to do.
After a night of sleep we will be on our way to the remains of Fort Trothoof early in the morning.
Since we left pretty early in the morning Shining was sleeping in the sled.
This gave me an opportunity to get there faster than we would otherwise.
When we were getting close I woke him up to show him how to set up a camp site.
We spent the first two days doing actual camp activities which I think we both got bored of quite quickly.
Honestly I was not one for camping and neither was Shining.
On the evening of the second day I decided to tell him the same story I had given to the others.
Shining Armor
While camping was fun at first I felt like it was not what we were really here to do.
As the sun set on the second day dad's expression turned serious again.
I knew that there was a reason why we were really out here.
The first thing he told me about was this strange ability that let him see into the future of other worlds to know what may happen in our own future.
Normally if some pony told me that I would be excited, but his tone said it all.
It was always hard to know what dad was thinking about compared to others.
Even so he had never felt so...
...
...cold.
I gulped.
He asked me if I remembered the tale of The Mare in the Moon.
I nodded.
He asked if I knew who the elder princess was.
To be honest I had only realized that it was supposed to be Princess Celestia recently.
Then he said something that shocked me.
We are eighteen years away from the return of Nightmare Moon and Twilight was going to be the one to fight her.
What why would Twilight be the one to do it.
Dad explained that Twilight had an incredible destiny ahead of her.
She would not be alone but there are others with great destinies ahead of them that will stand beside her.
And I would be by their side.
I was the shield that would protect them from harm.
To stand at their side I will need to be ready.
That way I could stand as an equal.
Tomorrow we will start some special training.
I asked if I would have to do things that were bad.
Nightlight
I let out a small chuckle, no he would not have to do anything morally questionable for the future.
But I did not say that the same could not be said for me.
With the knowledge of magic that I had gained I found that some things could in theory be replicated.
The noble phantasms from the Fate series could in theory be replicated.
Though I could not perform them myself.
The ones I chose for Shining Armor to try were Lord Canterlot, Thermopylae Enomotia, and Rho Aias.
Funny enough in Equestria incantations for spell have always been there.
Two examples of them were inspiration manifestation, and Star Swirl's unfinished spell.
The noble phantasms also have this.
With Shining Armor's talent for defensive spells it may be possible for him to replicate them.
Though I took the time to explain the concepts behind noble phantasms, specifically the ones I chose to try and teach him.
After two days of being unable to perform them it was now time to begin the more unsavory part of my plan.
One of my shadow copies had already obtained the stallion named Lone Traveler.
So on the evening of the fourth day camping...
Lone Traveler
I woke up with a nasty pain in my head.
Where was I?
Looking around I saw that I was on a cliff side.
I couldn't see any way down but there was a cave.
Hopefully it will lead me down.
When I entered the cave my mind went foggy.
Something was calling to me from inside the cave.
Without giving it a second thought I entered.
Inside I saw the remains of some kind of creature...
It was wearing something...
A black ooze started to come out of cracks in the bones.
As the tar enveloped me I could not feel or think of anything.
Shining Armor
I was just getting ready to do one last exercise before turning in.
Suddenly a rumbling sound began to come from the other end of the pass.
A large bipedal creature that looked like it was made of some kind of goo was coming this way.
From the side dad said that this was my final test for this trip.
If I failed then he would let it make it's way past us!
This would let it make it's way to the inns and town filled with civilians to die!
Suddenly flashes of the destruction that it would do shot through my mind!
They were to real looking for my taste.
I couldn't let that happen.
There was no way that dad would joke about something like this.
I had to stop it.
It started with shooting large stones at me but I was just barely blocking them.
Dad said that it was not good enough because the real attack was ready.
When I saw the beam it was charging up I understood.
As it fired it's beam I started going over a incantation in my head.
Using the incantations for the noble phantasms as a base I combined them to form my own spell.
I called to the spirits of the soldiers who fell here and asked to borrow their power.
To my amazement I felt their power swelling inside of me.
And in a burst of power shot the beam right back to the beast.
Nightlight
After he defeated the beast Shining Armor fell asleep.
After putting him in a sleeping bag and in the tent I went to the what was still left of the dark magic.
The source of magic actually shocked me.
The Alicorn Amulet.
This was clearly far more dangerous than what it should be.
There was no way I could let Trixie use this.
Unless I broke part of it as a base for a fake that is.
I made sure to get it sealed and sent a shadow copy to lock it up.
Now I have to clean up the mess.
So I cause a small avalanche.
Shining Armor
When we were on our way home dad made sure that I understood that I had to stay quiet about what happened.
I knew why.
Dad also told to remember that I should remember to make sure that I don't use what I learned to harm mere bullies.
I knew that I would have to know when it was truly time to fight, but when he said with great power comes great responsibility.
The way he said it made me feel like he was referencing something.
Maybe a book mom wrote.
I was also pretty tired for the next few days.
Twilight was worried about that but dad and I managed to get her to forget about it.