//------------------------------//
// 92. Dawn of the Initiation Day 
// Story: Rebirth of the Damned 
// by Borsuq 
//------------------------------//

	Storm Clash stood before the altar, his chest swelling with pride. The day of his and the others initiates’ introduction into the Order was nigh, and they had just gone through almost the whole ceremony. Now all that was left was to be illuminated by the glorious radiance of the Holy Light, in a blessing and benediction.
The Light shone down on the four ponies. Storm could almost feel its love filling him, and it was as pure as sir Matthias described, and-
-and it began to burn him alive.
“The Light deems you unworthy.” he heard Sir Matthias voice speak to him coldly as he toppled down in agony, his fellow initiates observing him without sympathy. “Begone.”
“Well, that’s something new!” a new voice, both amused and kind, shot through the air, deafening everything
Even, as Storm realised after few heartbeats, the pain.
He rose, blinking. He was still within the Lightbringer’s Chapel, but there was nopony here now. Sir Matthias, Guard, Serenity, Tucker, the crowd sitting on the benches as they bore witness to the ceremony... they were all gone.
Recalling the voice he hear, he looked around... and saw Princess Luna approach him.
“Your Majesty!” he exclaimed, and stumbled, not sure if he should bow or stand in attention, as he wasn’t wearing his armor.
“Please, Initiate Storm Clash, stay comfortable.” Princess Luna said calmingly, waving her hoof. Storm did as she bade him. As he nervously watched her approach him, he spotted that her lips curved into smirk. “I hope you don’t mind my amusement; it was the first time that I saw a pony have nightmare about light instead of darkness.”
“Wait, this is a dream?!” Storm exclaimed, and then remembered who he was talking to. “Um, Your Majesty?”
“Was this not a big giveaway?” the alicorn asked, lifting his chin gently.
Storm looked at her, confused (and a little bit afraid), until he noticed that something was off with his jaw. Or rather, than it wasn’t. As Princess Luna took her hoof, he brought his to examine his face, and realized that his jaw was straight!
“In dreams, we often see ourselves... undamaged.” the Princess explained as he continued to feel his face. “Although, that sometimes depends on what one sees as damage. But that’s not the reason why I came here. Judging by your nightmare, I assume that you fear the tomorrow’s ceremony?”
Storm gulped and backed a step away nervously. “Yes, Princess.” he confessed, looking down in shame, with his ears flat. “It has been a little more than a week since we’ve all started our training. I’ve learned about the Light as much as I could from books, memorised most of the prayers, and I know sir Matthias said we are ready, but... I don’t feel ready.”
His shame deepened as he realized that he had just blurted out all his fears to the Princess, whom he was sworn to protect, like a little colt to his mother. As Storm sat down, expecting Her Highness to address this matter, it suddenly hit him, that it was really strange. Normally, he kept all such thoughts to himself, and yet...
The pegasus looked up, puzzled, and the Princess smiled. “You are sharp, Initiate. Yes, I affected you through this dream to be more open. I sometimes do it, to better help my subjects with facing their fears.”
“I see...” Storm trailed off, a small part of him wondering if he should feel concerned about this, but quickly stopped. This was Princess Luna, the Princess of the Night - she could have done much more that just ‘affect’ him if she wished to.
“I will confess, I am, too, a bit surprised at Sir Matthias’ decision.” Luna said, returning to his problem. “Both me and my sister felt that your training should have lasted longer. However, even though I don’t understand the reason behind his... rushness, I trust Matthias completely. If he deems you four to be ready, then you are.”
“But...” the pegasus tried to protest, but stopped himself when he realized that by doing so he would imply that the Princess was wrong.
Princess Luna smiled, as if knowing exactly was going through his head. “If you still have doubts about whenever you are ready or not, talk to Matthias. You might fear his response, but knowing is always better than wondering.”
As she spoke, her voice wavered. In fact, everything around Storm Clash seemed to wave, including his mind...
 



 
Once Storm Clash had awakened from his sleep, it was still early in the morning. He looked at the alarm clock, wondering how long ago it was when Princess Luna visited him in his dream.
Of course, he remembered what she told him at the end. That if had doubts about being ready; he should talk about them with Sir Matthias. It would be a simple thing... and yet, the implications of it made him question Her Highness’ wisdom.
“What if Sir Matthias, hearing that I might be not ready, will postpone the ceremony? Or simply exclude me from it?” he thought as he landed back on his bed, covering his face with hooves.
He continued to lie like this, plagued by his doubts, for some time. He felt as if his fears began to choke him.
“I guess I will have to ignore your advice, Princess.” he finally thought, regret and shame filling him. “I know that you said it’s better to know than wonder, but-”
He stopped in mid-thought, his eyes wide. That was exactly what he has been doing all this time lying in his bed! He didn’t know for sure what Sir Matthias would say to him. Who he was, to assume what the Grand Master of the Order would say? Especially when the Princess said that she trusts him.
Even though he understood that, it still didn’t make the prospect of going to Sir Matthias easier. But it made it possible for him. So, albeit reluctantly, he rose and went to the bathroom, figuring that since he was going to speak with the Grand Master he should make himself more presentable.
 
Twenty minutes later, Storm was taking deep breaths as he stood before the doors to Grand Master’s office. There was a part of him that hoped that he was still asleep in his room, which would delay this conversation for an hour or so. But that would mean his mental torture would last longer...
Before his courage would leave him again, Storm knocked on the door, holding his breath.
He waited, the moment stretching out due to his fears.
“Looks like he’s still sleeping...” he thought with relief.
“Come in.” came a reply.
“Light damn it!”
Knowing that now there was no turning back, the pegasus pressed the door handle, entering Sir Matthias’ office.
“Permission to enter, sir.” he asked from the doorway.
Sir Matthias was sitting behind a desk on a swivel chair. He looked at him surprised, his hoof holding some note that he quickly put into a drawer.
“Storm Clash?” he asked, puzzled. “What are you doing up so early? I’ve given you all free morning, so that you could rest before the ceremony.”
“It’s... actually part of the reason why I am up.” Storm confesses. “Can I come in, sir?”
“Sure, son.” Sir Matthias replied, summoning him with a way of hoof. Storm, who was ready to enter, paused upon hearing ‘son’ and looked at his with raised eyebrow. Matthias grinned. “Stop calling me ‘sir’ over and over, and I won’t call you ‘son’.”
“Aren’t we roughly the same age?” the pegasus asked trotting over to his desk.
“More or less.” the Grand Master replied, and for some reason he appeared to be amused by what he said. “But let’s move on. What is it that brought you here?”
“Well, I...” Storm paused, unsure how to tell his superior officer that he wasn’t sure if he was ready to become a paladin. “I’m... not sure...”
“You’re nervous about the ceremony, aren’t you?” Sir Matthias hinted gently.
“Yes... and no.” he said, looking down. “I... I don’t think I’m ready, or, to be honest, if I deserve this honor at all.”
“I see...” Sir Matthias spoke thoughtfully. “And why do you think so?”
“Well, I...” Storm Clash began then paused, glancing at the earth pony. He was resting his chin on his hooves as he looked at him, his expression unreadable. “The Light... it’s just so...” he paused again, looking for the right word to describe the feeling he had when the Holy Light touched him during one of the praying sessions. “So good,” he finally said awkwardly, “and I’m-”
“Lad, listen.” sir Matthias interrupted him. “Nopony feels ready.” Storm’s eyes widened hearing that. “Nopony feels he deserves it. And you know why? Because nopony does. Like you said, it’s good. It’s grace, pure and simple. We are inherently unworthy, simply because we’re ponies, and all pony beings—aye, and... griffons, and minotaurs, and all the other beings—are flawed.”
Storm listened to his words, letting them sunk in. It... never occurred to him that... well, sure, he thought himself to be unworthy, but... to think that everypony...
“Even the Princesses?” he asked, confused.
“The Princesses would be first to tell you that they are, most importantly, ponies.” sir Matthias said, raising from his chair and walking around his desk. “I will admit, they are the being most close to perfection than anypony I ever met, but they, too, have their flaws.”
Storm opened his jaw to protest, but Sir Matthias silenced him with a raised hoof.
“I am not badmouthing them by saying it. I, too, have flaws, and they are far worse than the Princesses have. Everypony has them. But,” he raised his voice and smiled, “the Light loves us anyway. It loves us for what we sometimes can rise to in rare moments. It loves us for what we can do to help others. And it loves us because we can help it share its message by striving daily to be worthy; even though we understand that we can’t ever truly become so.”
Storm Clash wasn’t sure why, but... somehow, what Sir Matthias just said, made sense. He felt the Light’s love - a pure love, given for no reason, like a mother loving her foal - so he had this concept earlier, but it didn’t occur to him earlier to be this... simple.
Some of those thoughts must have reflected on his face, for the earth pony smiled approvingly and clapped a hoof on Storm’s shoulder. “So stand there today, among your fellow initiates. Stand there as I once did, feeling that you can’t possibly deserve it or ever be worthy, and know that you’re in the same place every single paladin has ever stood.”
“Yes, sir, I will.” the pegasus responded.
He was still nervous, and still felt unworthy, but Matthias’ words comforted him. After all, he was unworthy to begin with, and he still would be even if his training would last for a year.
“I know you will.” Sir Matthias replied, returning to his chair. “I’m glad that you came to talk to me about your fears; it must have taken a lot of courage.”
“Well... I wouldn’t say ‘courage’-”
“I would.” the earth pony interrupted him with a voice that did not allow any objections.
“And I can’t say that I decided this on my own.” Storm confessed. “Princess Luna came to me in a dream, and-”
“Aah, I see. Well, I’m sure Her Highness will be glad to see you have more confidence today.”
“Ye- wait, what?” Storm exclaimed.
“Oh, didn’t I mention it to you when I first mentioned to you that you’re ready two days ago, or when I was instructing you all how the ceremony will go?” Sir Matthias asked, and the pegasus couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or joking. “The Princesses will be here today, to witness the initiation of the first paladins. Aside from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, present will be also Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor from Crystal Empire. There will be also few nobles, few citizens of Ponyville...” he paused, probably noticing that Storm was on a brink of having a panic attack. “Storm, the Princesses will be here only to bear witness to what will happen; they won’t be asking any of you to do anything. They will probably congratulate you afterwards, though. The horror!”
“I’m glad you find this so amusing, sir.”
“Don’t give me reasons to be so, then.”
“You seem to be perfectly capable of finding those reasons yourself, sir.” Storm hesitated, realizing that he was arguing with his superior officer, but Sir Matthias smiled at him encouragingly. “Like that time few days ago, when you’ve sent us to work on the field when you knew a storm was planned.”
“And how do you figure I know about it?”
“Well, sir, to put it plainly, because you sleep with the mare in charge of the weather around Ponyville.”
“And my attempt to help you build more confidence comes back to bite me.” Sir Matthias said, rolling his eyes. “On the side note, that mare is still sleeping behind those doors, so you might tone it down.”
Storm gasped quietly as he looked at the door Sir Matthias was pointing at. They were closed shut, thankfully. The pegasus sighed with relief. He preferred the earlier conversation to remain just between him and Sir Matthias.
“Don’t worry, the walls around my room are soundproof.” he heard Sir Matthias say as he took a look around the office quickly. It was surprisingly small; aside from the desk and the chair, there was only a small cabinet, a globe, and a trash basket. And there was a spiderweb in the corner.
“There’s a spider there, sir.”
“Yes, that’s my pet spider Anub’arak.” Sir Matthias said offhoofedly. “Anyway, since you are awake, you can join Serenity and go to the station. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor will be arriving soon.”
“Soon? I mean, the ceremony is scheduled for noon, sir.”
“Yes, but they wanted to catch up with Lady Twilight. I’m sending Serenity - and now you as well - to officially welcome them on behalf of the Order. I would go as well, but I am a bit too busy.”
Storm nodded. While he didn’t fancy representing the Order like that, at least he wasn’t going to do it alone. And Princess Cadance had always seemed easier to approach than the Royal Sisters; probably because she was a lot younger. Plus, Shining Armor was still the Captain of the Royal Guard, and even though he exchanged words with him only few times, he was friendly to his subordinates. Outside of drills.
“You will find Serenity at the mess hall.” Sir Matthias said dismissively.
The pegasus saluted, and was just about to leave, when he paused. Was it just him, or was there a smirk on the paladin’s face for a moment? As if he was hiding something...
After a second, Storm shook of such ridiculous thoughts, and left the office.
 



 
“I’m sorry, little one.” Luna pleaded with her daughter to stop staring at her with an offended look. “But your auntie and I will need to talk about several important matters at breakfast, so you have to stay here.”
Normally, after Luna had lowered the moon, they would all eat at breakfast - or in her case, supper - and any other kind of meal together. However, both she and Celestia had quickly found out that neither of them could focus on anything else besides how cute Moonlight was. As such, when they knew they would have to discuss matters of state over the table, Luna would leave her precious little daughter behind, in a tender care of her most trusted maids.
Although, this time, Luna would have almost preferred to have Moonlight with her. She was fairly certain she knew what her sister wanted to talk about, and while the subject of today’s ceremony in the Everfree Abbey was one she was looking forward to - especially after she had helped Initiate Storm Clash with his nightmare - such couldn’t be said about the other one.
“Don’t be mad at me, Moonlight.” she asked once again, taking her daughter from her cradle with her magic and placing her in her forelegs. “I will be back soon, and we will have a little nap together. And maybe-”
“Oh, for the love of... Princess, you will spoil her rotten!”
Luna glanced at one of the few ponies that were allowed to speak so without any repercussion... to some point, at least. Angelic Heart, a middle-aged mare, looked a lot like her daughter Angelic Touch, the current Royal Physician. Like her, she had coat blue as the sky and a white mane. They would have been hard to tell apart, despite the age difference, if it wasn’t for her cutie mark (a smiling flower, bathing in the rays of sun), and that unlike her unicorn daughter, she was a pegasus.
The other mare present, however, was a unicorn. Caring Star was a lot younger than Angelic Heart, had a light gray coat and dark mane. Her cutie mark was a five-pointed star, also with smiling face in the middle of it.
“What Angelic Heart is trying to say is that you should be a bit more assertive with Princess Moonlight.” she said more gently than her college.
“‘A bit’?” the pegasus asked with a raised eyebrow, then sighed and returned to look at Luna. “Your Majesty, everypony is aware of yours and Princess Moonlight’s history, and that you spoil her so much is more than understandable in light of it, but-”
“- I cannot be such a putty in her hooves every time she frowns?” Luna finished, recalling fondly what she heard Doctor Horn tell her father once... or twice. Seriously, he and Angelic Heart would... probably murder each other in a day or so, they were that similar. “I am aware of that, but I cannot help it; she’s so cute!”
“That she is, Princess.” Caring Star agreed joyfully, while Angelic facehoofed. The unicorn then trotted closer and took the small unicorn from her forelegs. “Now, of you go. If you want to catch some sleep before you and Princess Celestia leave for Ponyville later, that is.”
Moonlight twisted her tiny head to regard the maid, as if she understood what she had said.
“Oh, don’t worry, little one.” Luna quickly said, taking a step towards her. “Mommy will-”
“Continue to annoy her servants?!” Angelic Heart interrupted her loudly enough to snap her out of her ‘motherly mode’. As Luna shook her head, the pegasus cleared her throat and continued in a more professional manner. “Since we are on the subject of your trip to Ponyville; do you wish us to prepare your royal attire?”
“No, both my sister and I shall go as we appear every day.” Luna replied, telling her what she and Celestia had both agreed on. “While it is going to be one of the most important events in the history of Equestria, we will be there only as witnesses. The ‘show’ will belong to Sir Matthias.”
A quickly masked wistful sigh escaped Caring Star at the mention of stallion’s name, causing Luna to chuckle at Arthas’ expense.
“Send a messenger to me if something happens.” she told them as she prepared to leave, causing Angelic Heart to stop looking at the younger mare with annoyance. “And during my trip to Ponyville, I will instruct the night guard to leave their fastest member outside the doors, so-”
“You know, Princess,” Caring Star interrupted her, grinning, “I hope I’ll remain in your service long enough to see your reaction when Moonlight will ask if she can sleepover at her friend’s house.”
“Bah!” Angelic Heart snorted before Luna could reply. “I hope I’ll live long enough to see her have a separate room!”
“Both hopes could be crushed very easily...” Luna replied, and although she let her voice sound threateningly, the two maids knew she was just jesting.
She had grown to like and trust them since her return, to the point of freely exchanging jokes like those. The two of them were among her most trusted servants; if they weren’t, she wouldn’t have let them take care of Moonlight - which was an honor craved by practically every female (and few male) member of the castle’s staff, including even one of the most devoted of Celestia’s own maids, Pixie.
“Alright you two; take care of my little Moonlight.” she instructed them as she left through the doors. She waved at her daughter. “Be right back, little one. Bye!” the small alicorn waved back. “Mummy loves you! Bye-”
She stopped once the doors were closed right in front of her nose. Sighing, Luna turned around before she could change her mind, and headed towards her and Celestia’s dining room.
As she contemplated how at the beginning Moonlight would cry every time she would leave her side, two night guards silently appeared, escorting her. Lune glanced at them, looking fondly at their enchanted looks that so reminded her of Shadow Bolt, her Champion of the Night. When she first saw them after her return, she nearly broke down into tears. But now she knew that those were only enchantments, and Luna no longer grew sad. Her Shadow Bolt was one of a kind.
“Despite even recent developments...” she mused.
 
“Good morning, little sister.” Celestia had greeted her as she sat down at the table next to her. “How was the night?”
“Uneventful, unless you count the nightmare from one of Sir Matthias’ initiates.” Luna replied, deciding it would be best to try and steer the conversation onto this tracks.
“Nothing too serious, I hope?” her sister asked, and took a pause to take a bite of a salad. “Today is an important day, after all.”
“I believe he will be fine.” she said, pouring milk on her cereal.
“Speaking off; do you know why sir Matthias decided the ceremony to take place so soon?”
“I have honestly no idea, sister. My best guess would be that they’re really ready, and that he feels that it should happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if he, too, is confused.”
“The Light works in mysterious ways.” Celestia summed up, following her thought perfectly.
They sit and eat in silence, broken only by occasional clang of spoons or forks against the plates.
“How’s your project coming along?”
“There it is.” Luna thought in annoyance.
“I believe I told you that if anything bad would happen, I would inform you immediately.” she told her, leaving an edge at the end of her voice.
“Yes, I remember, just-” Celestia replied, clearly not taking the hint.
“Leave us.” Luna ordered the servants and the guards, interrupting her sister.
Her night guards and few others listened at once, the others first glanced at Celestia before they would move.
“Once, such things would have infuriated me.” Luna mused as she waited for them to be alone.
“Tia,” she started once the door closed after the last pony, “you cannot treat me like a little filly.”
“I know-”
“A! I talk now, wait for your turn.” she scolded her. “Tia, you said it yourself: ‘we were meant to rule together’. But how can this be true, if you constantly try to control me?”
“I’m not-”
“Observe, then. Monitor, double check my decisions... should I go on?”
“No, you don’t have to.” Celestia replied, sad. “Luna, I just... I worry that I might fail you again, and-”
“I know, sister.” Luna told her, rising from her seat and hugging her. “I know that you still blame yourself for what happened a thousand years ago, just like I blame myself as well. And I love you for how much you care about me. But you must understand that I am not a little filly. I have my own plans and ploys. Haven’t I taken care of that situation with Aquestria half a year ago on my own?”
Celestia smiled as Luna reminded her of the tremendous success of her first ‘bout’ on the stage of international politics. Not only did Luna managed to avert the crisis between the sea ponies and the trading guilds, but also warmed the relations between two countries and created few thousands free job sites.
“Yes, you did, and did so better than I would.” the older alicorn finally said, nuzzling her head affectionately.
“Thank you, sister, but I’m sure you would have found a similar solution.” Luna replied, grateful for the complement. “So?”
“I will trust you on this matter.” Celestia said after a second, sighing.
“Hazah!” Luna exclaimed, but then grunted and returned to her normal demeanor. “Now that that’s over, let’s return to breakfast - I will still need to catch some sleep later.”
 



 
Twilight looked at the train station in anticipation. The train in which her brother and his wife would come to Ponyville was supposed to be here any minute now!
“Darling, calm down.” Rarity told her. “You act like a filly at Hearth’s Warming Eve.”
There were only the two of them, as it was really early, and Twilight didn’t want to drag her half-asleep friends across the town, not when they would all meet later again. She didn’t even plan to bring Rarity alone, but the mare had to get up early today to send her new line of dresses to a boutique in Canterlot, and after she was done she didn’t feel like falling asleep.
“And what is wrong with being excited to see your family?” Twilight asked.
“Nothing, but you could act more... reserved.”
Twilight snorted, but then she grinned as she spotted something over Rarity’s shoulder.
“Oh look, your fiancé is coming.” she whispered with joy.
To her credit, Rarity merely sighed, rolled her eyes, and looked behind her. Storm Clash and Serenity were still some distance away, but they quickly made their way to them once they saw them.
“What are you doing here?” Twilight asked once they’ve exchanged pleasantries.
“Sir Lightbringer sent us to welcome the Princess and the Prince to Ponyville on behalf of the Order.” Serenity explained.
Twilight wanted to ask why Matt himself hadn’t come, but at that exact moment the train appeared, approaching swiftly. It wasn’t like the usual ones that stopped in Ponyville. It was all crystallize and marked by Crystal Empire’s crest, which made sense, considering that this train served as the means of transportation for the rulers of the Crystal Empire.
The train stopped, and from the inside few clad in armor crystal guards emerged, followed closely by-
“Cadance!” Twilight exclaimed happily as she jumped over to her sister. Cadance smiled on her end as well and moved closer to her, too. “Sunshine, sunshine,” they both started, not caring at they were in the middle of the station, “ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”
They laughed as they parted, fond memories of their foalhood (well, Twilight’s foalhood at least) resurfacing, and Twilight turned to her brother.
“Hello Shining Armor!” she greeted him, hugging. “Did you have a nice journey?”
“Yes, we did.” Shining Armor replied as the train moved to make room for the one arriving from Manehatten soon.
“We can talk about it later, as well as about other things. We have a lot of catching up to.” Cadance added, and then looked at the small group of ponies. “Hello Rarity, and you, Serenity. And-”
“Initiate Storm Clash, Your Highness.” the pegasus replied with salute. “Sir Matthias send us to greet you on behalf of the Order.
“Well, that’s certainly nice of Sir Lightbringer.” Cadance replied, causing Twilight to giggle. She wondered how much this would annoy Matt. “I must say that I am anticipating the today’s ceremony... and so is the whole Crystal Empire.” she added, glancing warmly at Serenity.
The crystal pony tried to say something in reply, but her words were deafened by the arrival of the train.
“Perhaps we should leave the station.” Rarity suggested.
“I agree, though I am unsure if we should follow the royal couple as well.” Storm said, glancing at Serenity. “Sir Matthias asked us to only welcome you, and while I don’t not mind in the slightest at the prospect of guarding you, I believe you are well protected already.”
Twilight, glancing at the four crystal guards, had to admit that he was right. Despite being reformed only a month ago, the guards of the Crystal Empire looked formidable, which she knew was the merit of her brother’s training.
“You are correct, but I would like you two to accompany us for a while.” Cadance replied. “I would like to know more about you and the training Sir Lightbringer put you through.”
Both initiates nodded, and together they began making their way through the crowd, who quickly parted, due to both the presence of Princess Cadance, who radiated with beauty and love, and as well as four crystal guards and two paladin’s initiates. However, they didn’t get far, when they’ve heard:
“Storm Clash!”
Surprised, Twilight turned around, trying to locate the source of the shout. She found it. A group of three ponies, one foal and two adults, stood nearby. The one who shouted was a mare that was now making her way to them.
“Mom?!” she heard Storm Clash exclaim in shock.