Aduros footsteps echoed through the otherwise silent streets of canterlot. Fingers tightening around the wooden sheath, he walked into the light of the street lamp as the one behind him went out. For a moment he paused, then dusters tail flying in the sudden breeze, he bolted forward. Mixed with the sounds of his quickening steps, he could hear the faint sounds of wind, which billowed through each lamp as he passed, cloaking the human further in the chilled night. His thumb loosening his sword , his right arm blurred into nothing for a moment, the sound of his sword lancing out adding its own note to the mix. The air whistled as he slashed, and sparks flew as the edge of the weapon askanced a spear, which cleaved and clattered helplessly to the cobbled streets.
He turned suddenly, and ran into an alley, and as he came to a dead end turned. In the alleys only exit, three pair of yellow slitted dragon like eyes grew larger and , and above him on the alleys buildings, another three pairs of dragon like eyes looked down at him. Breath heavy, the mist of his exhales wafting out and into the chill, he snorted.
“Well, I know you’ve been following me. What do you want?”
The eyes in the middle on the ground group glanced to its left, then its right, and looking forward again, a voice hissed “We serve her Lady Luna. For a time we indulged her idle interest in the likes of you, but enough is enough.”
A voice to the right of the leader said “We love our Lady, and would do anything for her. Even if that meant we must protect her from herself.”
A new voice, this time a female echoed, “Please, Aduros. We don’t wish to hurt you, just go home. Please, for the sake of she who we love like our mother.”
The human snorted again, laying the blade against his shoulder.
“If you loved her so dearly, you would respect her decision.”
“So, then, you refuse?”
“I do.”
For a moment, the six luna guards tensed, preparing to strike, their blade wings making noises their wings unfurled. All moved forward to strike, and Luna’s moon shone its face for the first time that night. The guards paused, shocked into silence.
No smile graced his lips, his features set in stone. His eyes sparked in the baleful moons light, which at the moment was as bright as a beam of Celestia’s gift. His voice soft, and all the more terrible because of it.
“You dare? My kind survived slavery and the territories, fought in countless battles. Our history was made upon rivers of blood and mountains of corpses, and you dare to threaten me?”
As he spoke, he got into stance, and achieving it snarled “You’d better outnumber the likes of me fourty to one then.”
“Forward…” the leader said softly.
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Aduros knelt, around him the beaten foes, all alive. The human choked back a sob, and sang softly
Sent into battle to gain freedom, gain hope
Gain independence, our forces will lead
Final solution when all others have failed
Liberation is coming our path has been laid
Slowly he rose, and continued his song as he began to look at his opponents wounds
We remember the fields, where our sons held the line,
We remember our daughters who died
Nodding, he left the alley, still singing softly, and wiped the tears from his eyes
When the war, had been won
And our march home began
What awaits had not yet been revealed
We asked, What was won? what was lost?
Will our deeds be remembered?
Are they written on stone or in sand
He began the slow trek to his home, where his mare waited
Marching ashore, our home awaits
Facing resistance, forces driven by hate
Protecting our people, while fired upon
Rules of engagement, our restrictions are gone
We remember the sea, where our ships broke the waves
We remember our brothers in arms
He drew a shaky breath, and smiled as he saw the light still on in Luna’s balcony, and continued softly.
Leaving home, set to sea
Was this really meant to be?
See the shore of our home fade away
Facing blood, facing pain
Have our brothers died in vain?
Many lives has been lost on the way
Aduros stopped, and sobbed, “So many lives…” slumping against the building, he collapsed, the handle of his sword still clenched, though the blade was broken clean off
…..
Luna watched as Aduros collapsed onto her sofa, rubbing his head. Soon, her room began to fill with the sound of his snores, and rising she walked to her the table, and gasped. The sword handle glinted in the light, but its blade was gone. Aduros carried that sword everywhere, he never named it or anything, but Luna knew that it was more then a simple sword to Aduros. For a moment, Lunas eyes roamed the floor, searching for an answer. Gasping, she took the handle, and silently walked from the room.
…..
Aduros woke with a start, and rubbing an eye, looked at Luna, who smiled sheepishly.
“Sorry. Did I wake you?”
The human shook his head.
Smiling still, Luna glanced shyly at the floor.
“Umm, Aduros… I know it could never replace it, but I…” she suddenly gurgled in shyness, and scuffing the floor with a hoof, levitated something wrapped in cloth of her back.
“Here.”
Eyes widening, Aduros undid the cloth, expecting… drawing in a sudden breath, he gently took out the sword. While it still retained its handle, the rest of the blade was reminiscent of his brothers weapon, though ebony rather then dull grey steel.
Swishing it a few time, he looked at Luna.
“You… you hate it…”
Laying the blade carefully down, Aduros walked over to Luna, and kneeling embraced her.
“Oh, you liked it then?”
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And within a few months, Aduros and Marcum both became husbands to the diarchy, and with their mares protected both equines and humans. There are many more stories of them, stretched over the many years and across the continents, and just as many for their comrades Talios and Scourge, but those stories are for another night my dears. Off to bed now, and remember, I love you all