//------------------------------// // 6: A Civil War Incited // Story: All Alone // by lunas_servant //------------------------------// As we exited the dungeons there was a window that showed the moon had risen. So I would see both princesses? I hoped I could convince them to be lenient, and that my Princess would forgive me. I did what I did for her, to avenge what I saw as an unfair punishment. When I discovered there were others who remembered, we began a rebellion. We wanted only to overthrow the tyrant, but our small rebellion sparked civil war. I did not want that, though I do not regret it. ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ "Reports are coming in from all over the place, Sir Cloud Twist. The ponies of Equestria have begun to lash out at the Children of the Night," reported Dream Song. "They blame us for everything, for the strict new regulations, for the animals coming out of the forest. They blame us for their nightmares, even. They say that we have terrified their children to the point they can't sleep through the night!" I put down the letter I had received from Celestia. I had warned her. I told her the hostilities against the Children of the Night would end, or war would begin. I hung my head and sighed. The dark was always the place most ponies feared, that was why they shunned my princess and that was why they shunned her Children of the Night. There was no other recourse, no other actions that would bring an end to this. I could no longer stand by and watch these people suffer. I had to put an end to this. I walked over to the desk situated in the corner of my one-room cabin. Sitting on that desk was my helmet. I lifted the helmet and placed it on my head. It was time for war. ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ The unicorn guard led me down a hallway and at the end stood a pair of grand doors, even larger than the ones leading into Princess Luna's reception hall. He used his magic to open the doors to reveal a grand hall, adorned in gold and jewels with colored windows lining the walls, each one depicting a different story. I wondered if my story was up there somewhere. Somehow I doubted it. Celestia did not want her subjects to remember my princess and my story was much entwined with hers. At the end of the hall, at the top of a dais, stood Celestia. Next to her stood Princess Luna. I walked up to the steps and knelt before Princess Luna, bowing my head. "My Princess," I spoke with reverence in my voice. "Sir Cloud Twist, you have been summoned here to discuss punishment for your crimes against Equestria," came the voice of Celestia. "You are charged with treason for attacking a princess and leading a rebellion against the crown. You are charged with disturbing of the civil rest and inciting civil war amongst the kingdom. These facts are indisputable." I wanted to speak up, to defend my actions, but when I raised head and opened my mouth to speak Princess Luna shook her head. I snapped my mouth shut and continued to listen. "However," spoke Celestia. "Her Royal Majesty, Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night and the Moon and the Stars, has spoken upon your behalf. She speaks of your great loyalty to her and defends your actions as such. For this reason, you are hereby pardoned of all crimes.” Pardoned of all crimes? This was better than I had hoped. I looked up at my princess and smiled. I would surely have been beheaded on the spot if not for her. "Thank you Your Majesty," I spoke with gratitude, my eyes never leaving Princess Luna. ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ The first battle was not one I would forget. We fought outside a small village near Neighagra Falls. The people there had rounded up all the Children of the Night and had appealed to Celestia to allow the villagers to execute them. Instead, Celestia had sent her Day Guard to hold a trial. The trial ended with a death sentence for each of them. When I found out about the execution date, I quickly rallied the troops and we set out for Neighagra Falls. The closer we got to the village, the more ponies joined up with us, each passing village afforded us another five or ten ponies, few of them were soldiers but each one of them willing to put their lives on the line to protect their own. We approached the village on the day of the execution. The Children of the Night who had been tried were tied up in the center of town. We did not make it that far. Apparently, someone had warned the Day Guard and they were waiting for us outside of the village. I signaled the ponies behind me to halt and unfurled a white flag. I tucked the flag pole beneath my wing, positioning it in a way that it would wave in the breeze as I approached the enemy to entreat with them. As I approached, a soldier from the Day Guard separated from his fellows and met me halfway. "This does not have to come to a fight, Sergeant, release the Children of the Night and we will walk away peacefully," I offered. "We have our orders and we will follow them. How dare you defy Her Royal Majesty, Princess Celestia?" Came the indignant reply. "Is that your final word? You are not willing to reason with us?" I asked, despair in my eyes for what was about to happen. "Return to your troops, Captain, we will not release these prisoners." I closed my eyes in despair as I turned away. I returned to my followers and informed them of the news. I instructed three of them to sneak around back and release prisoners and the rest were to fight without mercy. The battle was a bloody one, and by the time it was over the falls ran red with blood. The Day Guard lay on the ground before me, all of them dead or wounded, many of them by my own hand. I had done my best to protect my own, but even we were not without casualty, more than a fourth of our troops were dead, half of those who remained were injured. Our unicorns were suffering from severe magic drain and our pegasi were exhausted, even the earth ponies were feeling the beginnings of exhaustion. Dream Song walked to me, wounds adorning her body. "The battle is over, Sir Cloud Twist, we have won. The prisoners were rescued and escorted to a safe place not far from here. We should gather the wounded and help them to the hideout. We can return for the dead later, they will need a proper burial." "You're right Dream, they deserve that at least. You can lead the way back to the hideout."